Why is government allowing planters to poison the population with pesticides ?
The preparation and sales of foodstuff, including sales of frozen fish and meat, are strictly regulated in Mauritius to avoid food poisoning. Despite this and the presence of health Offices throughout the island, from Port-Louis to Souillac, from Bambous to Flacq, Mauritians, especially children, have been victim to food poisoning. One man recently died after having been poisoned by pastry cakes prepared by a bakery in Flacq. Let’s just hope that with the new PRB, paid by good tax payer’s money, health inspectors will be more active.

Food poisoning either renders victims ill or kills only a few hours after consumption. Chemical residues in fruits and vegetables also kill. But they lead to slow and agonizing death of children, adults and old people through cancer in particular.

So it is highly surprising that lackluster minister of Agro-Industry, Satish Faugoo, has  done nothing as regards the control of chemical residues found in locally produced  fruits and vegetables which the government food laboratory detects year in and year out. Latest figures show that 50 % of locally produced fruits and vegetables contain chemical residues !

In such conditions, one would have expected the government  to set up a body or to empower the health inspectorate of the ministry of Health to inspect and chemically analyse fruits and vegetables to find out whether they are contaminated with chemical residues. Those who do not meet the standards would then be declared unfit for human consumption and destroyed. This  is the case with meat and sea foods of local importers who very often are not cold chain compliant.

Such a policy towards local fruits and vegetables would not be hard to implement. The country has less vegetables and fruit planters than restaurants, bakeries and “dholl puri “sellers. According to official statistics, there are 12 000 registered vegetables growers (mostly small holders) who produce between  115 000 to 118 000 tons of fruits and vegetables per year.
Is such control not being applied only because nearly all small holders are mostly part of the traditional clientele of the Labour party ? Or is it because of lack of political will and the fear of innovation which is now a culture of the mostly mediocre ministry of Agro-Industry where sustainable agriculture has become an unattainable objective?

We had a ray of hope in March last when it was stated that Cabinet has decided on an action plan to foster ecological farming in Mauritius and Rodrigues in a bid to curb the use of pesticide, insecticide and herbicides on these two islands. The main aim of the policy was to transform Mauritius into an agro-ecological island.

Alas ! The idea of an action plan for ecological farming might remain at the stage of idea after all. Or, if it is prepared, it will be used on the eve of the next general election for hypes by lackluster minister Satish Faugoo. This action plan, if ever it is prepared, will surely have the same fate as the one, at the ministry of Health prepared to control and fight cancer.

In the mean time one can expect a rise in the import and use of pesticides in the country. Last figures show that Mauritius imported  2 107 tons of pesticides to the tune of Rs 335 millions in 2011.  Their very heavy use is also contaminating our underground water resources. District councils and municipalities are also using herbicides to rid our roadside of weeds and shrubs !
If this pace is maintained, tourists should be warned that they have to bring along their vegetables, fruits and water free of chemical residues to avoid being contaminated with local products. Is there someone out there who dare speaks of a sustainable Mauritius ?