Pesticide certification must for fruits, vegetables sold in Oman

Pesticides need to be applied by properly trained licenced professionals in the farms as incorrect application could pose health hazard

MUSCAT: All vegetables and fruits imported or exported from Oman will have to submit a cer- tificate indicating the pesticide percentage, a senior official at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities said.

Haitham Khlafan Al Akhzami, deputy director of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, said they are continuously checking the pesticide level of vegetables and fruits. “Earlier also, we used to check, but now we have become stricter,” he told the Times of Oman on Monday.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has opened a hotline for citizens and residents to report if they find substances with a high level of pesticides.

“For reporting irregularities in the use of agricultural pesticides on farms, please contact 80060600,” it said.

Hot water

Al Akhzami said vegetables and fruits and should be washed before consumption.

“If it is washed with hot water, then chances are high that all the pesticide is removed,” he said.

Officials said pesticides need to be applied by properly trained licenced professionals in the farms as incorrect application could pose health hazards.

Trained professional

“It is important that pesticides are applied by trained professional applicators, who have exposure to the best education and knowledge, which they share with their consumers because these pesticides are sprayed around in homes and other areas,” said an expert.

Al Akhzami also said: “Importers and exporters of food crops have to submit an approved certificate from the accredited departments of the exporting countries.”

Earlier this month, the Muscat Municipal Council had stressed that there is need to monitor the pesticide level of vegetables and fruits sold in the markets.

“All vegetables and fruits sold in Oman should display a label of their farms so that it would be easy to trace them if any problem arises,” Muscat Municipal Council members had said.

In the meeting, members stressed that all vegetables and fruits should have labels. “On the imported agricultural products, the meeting stressed the need for a certificate to prove the absence of pesticide residues, as the current health certificate does not include that,” a statement from the Municipality said.

Earlier, the United Arab Emirates banned specific Omani vegetables and fruits after discovering some of the products exceeded the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) of pesticides.

Pesticide levels in imported melons, watercress and carrots from Oman were found to be above the allowable limits.

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MONITORING: The Muscat Municipal Council has stressed that there is need to monitor the pesticide level in vegetables and fruits.