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PANUPS: Asia/Pacific News Update
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P A N U P S
***
Pesticide Action Network
North America
Updates Service
http://www.panna.org/panna/
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November 8, 1996
Asia/Pacific Pesticide Use Update: Korean Reduction Policy;
Indonesian Ban; Indian Market Overview
Korean Pesticide Reduction Policy
The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has
announced national targets for reducing pesticide use by 50%
and fertilizer use by 40% by the year 2004. The reduction
targets, published in July 1996, are based on 1993 usage
levels. In 1993, South Korea used 25,999 metric tonnes of
pesticide active ingredients.
Between 1980 and 1995, pesticide use in South Korea increased
approximately 63% (from 16,132 tonnes to 25,834 tonnes). Much
of this growth was due to insecticide use on fruits,
vegetables, ornamentals and greenhouse crops. The main
insecticides used on fruits and vegetables in South Korea
include azocyclotin, Bt, clofentezine, deltamethrin, EPN,
fenvalerate, methidathion and methomyl. Primary insecticides
used on paddy rice, which accounts for approximately 26% of
pesticide use in South Korea, include carbofuran, fenobucarb,
isoprocarb, diazinon, buprofezin and cartap.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry proposes using
integrated pest management (IPM) and "safe pesticide use"
strategies for reaching reduction targets, but it does not
provide details regarding how those programs would work.
Government institutions that will be affected by the new
policies are in the process of developing strategies for
achieving these targets. There is currently an active IPM
training program being supported by the UN Development
Programme in the country.
Source/contact: Kevin Gallagher, Asian Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Consulting, Seokchon Bld. #401,
1551-5 Scocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-070, Republic of
Korea; phone (82-2)585-0503; fax (82-2) 585-0504; email
kevin@soback.kornet.nm.kr.
Indonesia Bans 28 Pesticides
Indonesia's government is banning 28 hazardous pesticide
active ingredients for use in all crop production, according
to a June 1996 statement by the Indonesian Minister of
Agriculture. The decree was issued due to concerns about
impacts of these pesticides on human health and the
environment. Since the 1986 Presidential decree which banned
these same 28 active ingredients for use on rice and
implemented integrated pest management (IPM) for rice
nationwide, the Minister of Agriculture stated that
Indonesian farmers have adopted other pesticides that are
"relatively safe and less harmful to human health and the
environment." The Minister's statement did not mention use of
non-pesticide alternatives.
The banned pesticides include: acephate, azinphos methyl,
carbaryl, carbophenothion, chlorpyrifos methyl, cartap
hydrochloride, diazinon, dichlorvos, endosulfan, etrimfos,
fenitrothion, fenthion, fonofos, isazophos, malathion,
mephosfolan, methomyl, methamidaphos, monocrotophos,
omethoate, piridafenthion, phenthoate, phosphamidon,
quinalphos, cyanofenphos, triazophos and trichlorfon.
The decree is structured to phase out pesticide formulations
containing banned active ingredients as their registrations
run out. With very few exceptions, no new agricultural use
registrations will be issued for products made with these
active ingredients. Some formulations must be removed from
Indonesia or destroyed within one year of the decree whether
or not the registrations have expired.
Sources: Decree of the Indonesian Minister of Agriculture,
Number 473/KPTS/TP.270/6/96; PAN Asia and the Pacific, "Call
for a Worldwide Ban on Endosulfan," Press Release, June 16,
1996.
Contact: PANNA (see below).
Indian Market Overview
Approximately 125 companies manufacture more than 60
technical grade pesticides in India, including Dirty Dozen
pesticides BHC, DDT and methyl parathion. Government sources
estimate that between 1994/95 and 1996/97 overall pesticide
production may fall slightly; however, production is
predicted to remain the same or increase for certain highly
hazardous chemicals including DDT, endosulfan, methyl
bromide, monocrotophos and parathion methyl (see table
below).
In an effort to reduce dependence on imported chemical
intermediaries, many companies are acquiring technologies to
produce the chemicals in India, especially for the
insecticide endosulfan and the herbicide butachlor. The
Indian Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers stated that the
country currently has a total production capacity of
approximately 126,000 metric tonnes. In the 12-month period
ending March 31, 1996, companies in India produced 86,000
metric tonnes of pesticides.
Estimated Indian Production of Selected Pesticides
(quantities are given in metric tonnes)
Pesticide 1994/95 1996/97
------------------------------------------------
BHC 32,000 20,000
DDT 4,300 4,400
Endosulfan 6,700 7,000
Malathion 2,800 4,000
Mancozeb 4,100 4,200
Monocrotophos 8,000 10,000
Parathion-methyl 2,100 2,400
Phorate 4,100 4,100
Source: Agrow: World Crop Protection News, September 27,
1996.
Contact: PANNA (see below).
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