Tema (Greater Accra), 5 Sept., Vegetable farmers have been advised to avoid over-dependence on chemicals because they can be poisonous. The Greater Accra Regional Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Officer, Mr. Kweku Kyei Antwi, gave the advice yesterday at an educational forum organised by the Ministry of Agriculture for vegetable farmers at mile 18, near the Accra-Tema motorway. He said if the chemicals are not properly applied, they can poison the farmer himself and his customers, destroy the crops and pollute the environment. He asked the farmers to seek advice from agricultural extension officers to help them identify their pest problems and to choose the right chemicals. He cautioned them about the disposal of chemical containers, and said it has been found out that no rpt no matter how well the container is washed, it still contains some poison. Mr. Kingsley Titiati, Municipal Officer of the plant protection and regulatory services, appealed to the farmers to avoid spraying their vegetables when they are mature. He said one of the chemicals, Furadan 3G, which is used in spraying okro farms, lasts between 30 and 35 days in the soil, and can be very poisonous to human health if mature okro is sprayed with it. Mr. Ofori Attah, on behalf of the farmers, appealed to the government to do something about the high cost of the chemicals.
