BEIRUT/ SIDON: Pesticide producers should place warning labels on their products and farmers should abide by them, said the president of the Confederation of Farmers Unions Antoine Howayek during a news conference on Tuesday. Howayek held the conference to tackle the recent concerns that have spread about poisonous substances in food products. He called on pesticide-producing companies to place cautioning labels on all of their products to mention the safe periods during which the product should be used. 

Howayek also asked farmers to abide by the instructions posted on these labels. “If this is done, 80 percent of the problem would be resolved,” he said. 

However, Howayek stressed that farmers were only victims in the matter and blamed the Lebanese government for neglecting the agricultural sector. 

“While many officials blame the farmers, they are themselves responsible for the problem,” he said. 

Howayek also condemned the exaggerated reactions to the case, saying the way the issue was tackled created a state of panic among the Lebanese. 

“The topic of chemical substances in food products should not have been discussed before finding ways to provide alternative products,” he said. 

As for imported food products, Howayek placed the blame on the Agriculture Ministry. He said that problem could be resolved with only one ministerial decision that regulates imported goods. 

Howayek added that a demand to conduct tests for chemical substances in food products was presented in 2006 but that the ministry has not yet approved it. 

“The Agriculture Ministry is directly responsible for all imported products contaminated with pesticides,” he said. 

Howayek also referred to several previous demands presented by farmers to the ministry in order to control the quality of local food products. He mentioned the demand to regulate food safety made in 2002; the request to open independent agriculture chambers made in 2002; and the plan to develop the agricultural sector, suggested in 2004 and modified in 2006. 

The issue of poisoned fruits and vegetables on the Lebanese market has been spurring controversy since last week when talks of poisonous substances in food products emerged. While some politicians blamed the government for its negligence others said it was the lack of awareness that caused the problem. 

“All pesticides that come into Lebanon legally should be tested by the Agriculture Ministry before getting the green light,” said Sami Sharaf, a farmer working at the agriculture company Amalia. 

Sharaf explained that each product had a label that showed the safe time during which the pesticide should be used. However; he added that even though not all pesticides infected fruits and vegetables, farmers should opt for using biopesticides derived from natural products. 

The growing fear among Lebanese consumers has led them to hold back on buying fruits and vegetables; this has especially effected the consumption of zucchini and tomatoes. Farmers in the south have already thrown away boxes full of vegetables because no one would buy them. 

“My clients are no longer buying zucchini, tomatoes or even cucumbers because of this propaganda,” said farmer Hassan al-Raaii. “The price of zucchini went down from LL1250 to LL500 and still there are no buyers,” reiterated grocery store owner Ahmad Jomaa. 

Other farmers complained that they really were the victims of negligence and lack of awareness campaigns.

“There is an agricultural office in the south, which is supposed to provide guidance but it is always stays silent. We lack experience, formation and means of transportation and communication,” said a farmer from the south who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.