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It's poorly planned

Agricultwists question anti-formalin drive

Staff Correspondent
The recent drive against "contaminated fruits" was poorly planned and was executed without any consideration for producers and people's nutrition, said agriculturists and ministry officials.
"What is happening in the name of formalin [drive ] cannot happen in a civilised country. The way the fruits are being destroyed without any consideration is not acceptable," said Anwar Faruque, additional secretary of the agriculture ministry-
The observations were made at a seminar on the occasion of a two-weeklong campaign on plantation of fruit-bearing trees organised by the Ministry of FROM PAGE 1
Agriculture at the AKM Giasuddin Milky Auditorium in Khamarbari.
The speakers at the seminar said while there were reported presence of formalin and chemicals in fruits, none has exactly been able to pinpoint the level of their acceptability. The destruction of the seasonal fruits was unreasonable, they said.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police had set up eight check points around Dhaka to prevent formalin-tainted fruits entering the capital. Since Friday, it also began drives in city markets.
The DMP was destroying tonnes of formalin-tainted fruits, mainly mango and litchi, the two major seasonal fruits.
Anwar Faruque said agriculture scientists have not been consulted before such a drive.
He said farmers would lose interest in investing in fruit cultivation in the coming years and ultimately people would be deprived of nutrition.
Enamul Hoque, former director general of the Department of Agricultural Extension, claimed that farmers usually do not use formalin in mangoes but they sometimes use a small amount of ripening agents, carbide or ethephon.
"These are gaseous and soluble. Even, formalin is soluble. If one washes the fruits before consumption, it is free of danger," he claimed, terming the drive poorly planned.
He suggested that agriculture officials be included in the drives.
Kamal Uddin, executive chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, said preservatives are used
in storing foods, fruits and pickles and it is nothing new.
The problem was the level of their application, he said.
Agriculture minis try Joint Secretary Mosharraf Hossain said, "It is necessary that scientists, relevant ministries, farmers, traders and civil society members look at the issue seriously and find a solution."
Addressing as chief guest at the inaugural session, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam urged all to plant more fruitbearing trees to ensure nutrition for all.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said more agroprocessing industries were needed to be set up to expand fruit cultivation, which could meet nutritional demand and earn foreign currency.