No Fears Over Fruits & Vegetables Here
By Kartika Rahman

Bandar Seri Begawan - We in Brunei don't have to fear about buying toxic vegetables at local markets.

Brunei Darussalam's Agriculture Department's Acting Director, Hjh Norman Suriahayati told the Bulletin that there has not been any recent reported cases of imported or local vegetables exceeding the pesticide residual limit, even though Malaysia has sounded a warning regarding the veggies on sale in that country.

In fact in Johor state of Malaysia eating an apple a day could bring the doctor rushing to you. Eating vegetables and fruit with dangerous levels of pesticide residuals can cause cancer, liver disease, nerve dysfunction and lead to birth defects and according to New Straits Times (NST) in Malaysia there is a worrying amount of vegetables and fruits grown at illegal farms run by foreign workers using unregulated doses of pesticide.

This leads to a 50 per cent chance that those healthy looking greens brought from Malaysian markets and supermarket could cause your body grievous damage.

Some of these farmers have been found to use heavy-duty pesticides meant for trees on vegetables such as cucumbers, brinjals and leafy vegetables to ward off pests and ensure that their produce turn out looking flawless.

It is reported that middlemen who buy the tainted produce from the illegals finance these farms. Initially illegal farming started in forests in Johor and Cameroon Highlands has spread nationwide.

The produce is then trucked to markets in Klang Valley, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor. The tainted greens are mixed with other produce and sold to unsuspecting consumers.

Meanwhile, Brunei's imported fruits and vegetables from Malaysia, come in through Sabah, where a bilateral agreement ties the cooperation of Malaysia's Federal Agriculture and Marketing Association (FAMA) in crosschecking for high pesticide residue prior to importation.

Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail assures that the State Agriculture Department always takes steps to ensure that vegetables grown in Sabah are safe.

Among measures taken are the implementation of the Malaysian Good Farming Practice Scheme and new procedures for the export of vegetable and fruit produce.

Sabah continues with thorough vigilance of pesticide use following the 1993 Brunei ban of all vegetable and fruit from Sabah for exceeding the pesticide and fertiliser residue limit, Malaysian newspaper Bernama reports.

Furthermore, regular random tests are conducted for any sign of dangerous pesticide levels.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Click Here To Have Your Say On This Story

Brudirect.com News

Brunei's Fastest Growing Website with