Cabinet to appoint expert committee on Glyphosate

The Cabinet has decided to appoint an experts’ committee to decide on the usage of the banned agrochemical Glyphosate, says Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake. 

The committee will reportedly be represented by specialist and intellectuals from fields such as health, agriculture and plantation industries. 

Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Navin Dissanayake, Duminda Dissanayake and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero will serve as observers. 

The decision was taken after two cabinet papers from the Agricultural Ministry and the Plantation Industries Ministry were taken up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting today (27). 

President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 banned the imports of glyphosate as some studies have linked the use of the agrochemical to the Chronic Kidney Disease affecting the Sri Lankan farmers.

However, it was recently reported that the government is considering relaxing the ban on the glyphosate, a widely-used weedicide, to boost the dwindling tea crop.

Minister Duminda Dissanayake has recommended to the Cabinet to lift the ban on glyphosate for the plantation industry.

At a press conference yesterday (26), Ven. Rathana Thero, a strong proponent of the ban on the agrochemical, stated that the President should think twice about the country’s farmer before lifting the ban.   

The imports and use of Glyphosate are banned under the Import and Export (Control) Act, No. 01 of 1969.

The use of Glyphosate is believed to be the main cause for the chronic kidney disease (CKD) that is widespread in the North Central Province in the country.