Our Country, that does not understand the word "proportionate", has lead to all our problems, because the relative merits, overuse, misuse and alternative options are not considered in making decisions. If you want to know what I mean from personal experience read on:
In order for the interested reader on
the subject, I have noted links at the end, so that one can make an educated
judgment on one’s own feelings about this topic. I don't intend to instill my opinion, only for you to make an educated assessment.
I am speaking from my experience only as
a farmer in Rajarata, who both has to depend on existing farming inputs for
survival, and is also facing the time bomb of CKDU, where many of my neighbors
have already succumbed to it.
HOWEVER we have yet to
find a specific reason as to why this disease is so prevalent in ISOLATED spots throughout the Country,
when Glyphosate has been used fairly indiscriminately throughout the Country, in
proportions I believe to be more than necessary. Do other people’s run off also
settle here in the isolated spots?
In order to set aside the CKDU debate as
being something far more serious than Glyphosate alone, which the former MAYBE has SOME contribution, but not the main reason, I don’t wish to dwell
on this, as the jury is still out on this matter, and far more compelling reasons OTHER than Glyphosate can be more
critical.
I know there are some specialists in the
field of Kidney Disease who believe Glyphosate to be the main cause, they have
yet to propose alternatives that are less harmful in mitigating the agricultural
reasons for the use of Glyphosate. That is of course if the alternative of
using NOTHING instead is their
proposed solution! Then they may as well ask us all to eat cake instead!
SO
WHERE DO I STAND ON THIS SUBJECT HAVING GIVEN CREDENCE TO ALL THAT HAS BEEN
WRITTEN BELOW IN ADDITION TO THE LINKS SHOWN BELOW?
Speaking from experience, I can honestly
say that in my 14 years of farming in the Rajarata, farmers have beliefs that
are incompatible with reason, and they have not been persuaded to change their
ways due to poor communication by the State Actors, namely the Agricultural
Extension Officers, who are unable to get into the farmers minds, being people
who don’t take their subject seriously, and only work for a salary and security
being unsackable lazy government servants. (of course there are exceptions like
my neighborhood advisor who covers the Rotawewa circuit)
So I have always used less than half the
allotted fertilizer for paddy plantation with no reduction in yield. So during
MR’s administration, which was giving fertilizer at Rs350 a bag of 50kg,
farmers were OVER USING this on
their land, as too much was given per acre as subsidy. With the money saved on
fertilizer, they were then OVER SPRAYING their fields with pesticides and
herbicides to kill weeds, as they thought wrongly that using more than the
recommended doses was better! And worse, they were not wearing protective
clothing to ensure this spray was not (a) being inhaled by them and (b) sprayed
on to their body, entering the bloodstream through the skin.
Conclusion
I have NO DOUBT that those who overused have CONTAMINATED their soil, making it highly toxic. If they ONLY eat
rice from THEIR land, they are MORE THAN
LIKELY to contract CKDU and experts, “that has NOTHING to do with GLYPHOSATE PER SE" and banning this ALONE does not make any sense.
RIGHT OR WRONG?
RIGHT OR WRONG?
Isn’t it clear from my simplistic, but
logical analysis, based on personal experience, that using ANYTHING MORE THAN
of a reasonable dosage is going to be harmful, whatever it may be?
The
answer then is proportional use, should be explained and etched in the mind.
Secondly, GLYPHOSATE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY BANNED IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. We
must test the potency of the glyphosates imported to Sri Lanka. It may contain
untested substances the Brand ROUND UP does not contain, and therefore ADD to the toxicity of local
Glyphosate.
Further, Glyphosate substitutes have NOT
had as stringent a testing procedure and we may have imported FARM MORE DANGEROUS alternatives that
will ADD to the problem, by banning
this, than we would solve. The Ven Rathana Thero please take note of this when
you rabidly believe that banning Glyphosate is sufficient to resolve a far
greater problem of misuse, overuse, and use of substances, that have not
undergone adequate testing.
As for, Glyphosate residues found in our
Tea, we need to separately evaluate why, is it poor spraying practice, overuse,
or misuse, and resolve this, as other tea producing countries use Glyphosate
for the same problem and don’t seem to have this residue we do, so it is not
Glyphosate per se, just how our Tea Industry operates, in adding it to the
plants, soil, and tea making processes.
For example is there a minimum period from spraying to plucking? Rainfall can wash off spray, but when sprayed on wet leaves, that when dried in the tea making process, is bound to leave residue that eventually gets picked up. SO it is the application that is at fault and perhaps not the product.
For example is there a minimum period from spraying to plucking? Rainfall can wash off spray, but when sprayed on wet leaves, that when dried in the tea making process, is bound to leave residue that eventually gets picked up. SO it is the application that is at fault and perhaps not the product.
I trust this analysis points to a SENSIBLE COMPROMISE, not rabid
war of opinion.
Extensively
researched background information for interested parties
The
passionate debate has got be resolved, instead of a merry – go – round!
It is time we stop calling each other
names and instead realize that it is the future of this Country that we are
talking about, and that all stakeholders have a claim in this future and we
need to resolve it in an adult way, instead of going into the Media, Social and
Mainstream and resorting to threat and innuendo of the worst kind to stake each
side’s case.
So
what are we talking about? The Glyphosate Debate, as it relates to CKDU,
Agriculture, Tea and Rubber Industries, the GMOA stance, the Government Edicts
– first one and another contradicting the first one and so on.
We have the GMOA and the Rev Rathana
Thero and the Environmental Lobby, who want it banned, period.
We have the Tea Industry which is a
traditional export earner, with greater potential for growth, due to the advent
of China into purchasing Ceylon Tea, that can increase foreign exchange
earnings by many-fold. They are now suffering from a severe labor shortage, not
having planned for this, with better replanting, to use tools for plucking, and
other means at weed control.
So let me put some of the links I have
searched on this subject for transparency
http://www.silumina.lk/2017/05/13/සල්පිල/මගේ-තේ-වගාවට-නම්-ග්ලයිෆොසෙට්-ඕනෙ-නැහැ
Niral Wijesundera Please correct me if
I am wrong, But I believe this weedicide was used for decades in the plantation
sector. But no prevalence of CKDU was reported in the Central Hills or or in
the South where Tea and Rubber is a major crop. The effect of this chemical
came into light after the increased number of CKDU cases in the North Central
province which primarily a agricultural region. I doubt the report of the
committee appointed to report on the CKDU in that region concluded that
Glyphoate is the culprit???. Then what is the next step. This is a question
which effect the whole nation. One hand its the economy and the other the
health of the people.
All
stakeholders The plantation Ministry, Health Ministry, Professors of the
Faculty of medicine, Faculty of Chemistry, Plantation companies sit together
and provide an answer to this crucial issue. Just holdng protests and 'wildcat'
strikes will not resolve the issue. GMOA should act more responsibly
Ranga Weerakkody Glyphosate came in to
use after the ban on Paraquat, a notoriously toxic weedicide and it's 100%
mortality after poisoning. Its use is limites to about 20 years. CKDu predates
it.
However new evidence shows CKDu is a toxic nephropathy and the pathological findings are similar to that of cyclosporine toxicity (a drug used in kidney transplants). There are many weedicides or their metabolites that mimick cyclosporine. It may not be glyphosate, but most likely to be a weedicide. The research is underway to find causes.
However new evidence shows CKDu is a toxic nephropathy and the pathological findings are similar to that of cyclosporine toxicity (a drug used in kidney transplants). There are many weedicides or their metabolites that mimick cyclosporine. It may not be glyphosate, but most likely to be a weedicide. The research is underway to find causes.
Amila Goonewardena Joseph Senal Fernando . Following the sequence of events. There
is no scientific proof to say 100% it is because of this . If that is the case
. Detergents , mosquito coils , sprays of so many types for many purposes ,
service stations , Hospitals and factory waste that flows in to water ways
in the whole Country have a effect. Including people burning leaves in
neighborhoods , loud speakers that eat your brain , Senal there are so many
that effects the human body. Where are we , Is this Country on the correct
track no. How ever no dought there is a effect but the hidden agenda is
politics , There is some moron who wants to object things all the time for
reasons best known to them for personal benifit . By the way for your
information I have lived in Anuradhapura for five long years thank god nothing
has happened to me so far.
ECONOMYNEXT - Sri Lanka's tea
farm managers say a ban on the popular weedicide glyphosate without using
scientific evidence, which ended after the intervention of plantation
minister, has caused crop losses of 25 billion rupees over two years.
The Planters' Association of Ceylon, which is made up of managers of large commercial tea, rubber and coconut farming companies said an estimated 15 billion rupees of crop was lost in 2015 due to the glyphosate ban, and 20 billion rupees in 2017.
Plantations Minister Navin Dissanayake played a key role "amidst a great deal of opposition" to overturn the glyphosate ban, the association said.
Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena banned glyphosate fearing it was causing chronic kidney disease after some researchers published an interesting paper linking glyphosate with the disease, which is prevalent in hot rice growing regions of the island in particular.
“At least now we can begin the difficult but necessary work to reverse the serious damage done to our estates as a result of the ban," Chairman of Planters’ Association, Sunil Poholiyadde said.
"In that regard, we are encouraged that even at this late stage, that policy makers were willing to listen to reason…"
The study which suggested that glyphosate was linked to heavy metal leaching into water was published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, an open access journal whose publisher, MDPI, is controversial.
No animal studies were done to prove the theory.
"According to the prevailing Buddhist philosophical values within the country, no animal models were used in the current study," the researchers said.
Glyphosate is very popular, due to lack of firm evidence that it is harmful, but its wide use has caused concern.
The ban triggered smuggling in Sri Lanka as it is freely available in neighboring countries. At the moment only few countries have restrictions on the use of glyphosate and there are fears that alternatives could be more harmful.
The Planters' Association of Ceylon, which is made up of managers of large commercial tea, rubber and coconut farming companies said an estimated 15 billion rupees of crop was lost in 2015 due to the glyphosate ban, and 20 billion rupees in 2017.
Plantations Minister Navin Dissanayake played a key role "amidst a great deal of opposition" to overturn the glyphosate ban, the association said.
Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena banned glyphosate fearing it was causing chronic kidney disease after some researchers published an interesting paper linking glyphosate with the disease, which is prevalent in hot rice growing regions of the island in particular.
“At least now we can begin the difficult but necessary work to reverse the serious damage done to our estates as a result of the ban," Chairman of Planters’ Association, Sunil Poholiyadde said.
"In that regard, we are encouraged that even at this late stage, that policy makers were willing to listen to reason…"
The study which suggested that glyphosate was linked to heavy metal leaching into water was published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, an open access journal whose publisher, MDPI, is controversial.
No animal studies were done to prove the theory.
"According to the prevailing Buddhist philosophical values within the country, no animal models were used in the current study," the researchers said.
Glyphosate is very popular, due to lack of firm evidence that it is harmful, but its wide use has caused concern.
The ban triggered smuggling in Sri Lanka as it is freely available in neighboring countries. At the moment only few countries have restrictions on the use of glyphosate and there are fears that alternatives could be more harmful.
Ranga Weerakkody
Although
many people claim a direct link between CKDU and glyphosate has not been found.
Maintain a ban on flimsy evidence is wrong.
However, there are allegations about the constituents of glyphosate preparations, with additives which are much more toxic than glyphosate itself. To make the matters worse, it is said SL formulations contain cheaper, toxic additives than European ones, and some times, some of the constituents not declared. All the safety data has been done using US or European formulations.
Hence two eminent scientists Prof. Saroj Jayasinghe and Dr. Chula Herath have called to maintain the ban on precautionary principle.
However, there are allegations about the constituents of glyphosate preparations, with additives which are much more toxic than glyphosate itself. To make the matters worse, it is said SL formulations contain cheaper, toxic additives than European ones, and some times, some of the constituents not declared. All the safety data has been done using US or European formulations.
Hence two eminent scientists Prof. Saroj Jayasinghe and Dr. Chula Herath have called to maintain the ban on precautionary principle.
SL's ban on Glyphosate
could have led to 'catastrophic consequences' for Ceylon Tea claims CTTA
Don’t make lifting Glyphosate Ban
Permanent
TRI up with Glyphosate substitute by end
of 2018
Anti Glyphosate Lobby to meet Prez and
PM
Glyphosate Substitute the need
Sri Lanka’s Glyphosate Ban cost Rs35B in
crop losses
Rathana Thero condemns lifting
Glyphosate Ban
Tea records highest concentration of
Glyphosate – US Research
6 comments:
To put in context I used Round Up extensively in California to clear weeds when I lived there in the 1990's. I must confess, I did not use face masks either.
Only anecdotally, I think that the stuff used here was more potent, and our testing systems are not good, as too many cowboys are importing poison, and getting away with it, as they are able to import at low cost and sell in the market at profit. Who is testing this stuff? Who is allowing this stuff? that is a far more important issue than going behind a ban on glyphosate.
Just go into your agrochemical shop and make a list of what is available and ask the authorities if they have been adequately tested? I am sure the answer is NO and no one has asked. Why? we have dumb asses in places of responsibility wasting time debating the merits of glyphosate while this Country is awash in poison, just think about it. No one is given sufficient authority to test what we are polluting our fields with.
If truth be told everything in excess is carcinogenic surely! So how can be ban everything, we must educate our uneducated people not to do everything in excess. Lie, Cheat, Steal, take Bribes, Drink, Smoke, Kasippu, Gamble, you name it we do everything in excess and we suffer due to it.
So now we must have a law of excesses, where if we do anything in excess, it can come under this law and separate punishments result.
In a country that has no clean air, clean water and clean food, nit picking on one product like glyphosate is wrong as it gives the people a sense of comfort that they should not have as everything they eat and drink is poison, and we should be trying to get them to reduce their poison intake.
What is worse? Like you have pointed out in your most recent blogs - eating rice three times a day, or banning glyphosate! I will go for banning eating rice three times first before banning glyphosate as diabetes is more likely than CKDU, I hope that is what you mean by being proportionate.
Thank you for this enlightenment of the masses who led to their deaths by those who rule over us, who don't have the education to ban what is relevant and we have idiots who call themselves doctors, who don't have any knowledge other than their specific subject so they don't know how to use proportionality in the best interests of the people of Sri Lanka who are they bound to serve, but who only steal big time from them after a free education.
We cannot leave this issue to Medical Practitioners only. It needs an overall holistic look on what we want as a lifestyle in Sri Lanka.
This should all fall in with the vision for the future of Sri Lanka. If the whole idea is to have an organic Island then some people and businesses will necessarily suffer and go out of business, while others will rise taking up the slack and may be of overall benefit.
However that must come with a commitment of the average person that he or she is willing and able to clean up the country of non biodegradables, that are being thrown into our rivers and then come on our shores.
We have a long way to go to convince the narrow minded, selfish population of taking actions for the greater good. If the GMOA acts in their interests against the public at large, what hope have we got in Sri Lanka for change?
Frankly the GMOA by blaming everything on Glyphosate has added to the CKDU problems as their intelligence is limited to a tunnel they cannot see the big picture.
As a result the public have died in thousands, it is time the people are told what traitors they are and have contributed by their ignorance and inability to give proper prevention advice to hundreds of thousands of deaths, sad, to know GMOA are murderers of the worst kind.
A donkey doctor's two cents - not worth the paper it is written on in a country with the wrong experts
http://www.ceylontoday.lk/print-edition/2/print-more/4384
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