More pesticides imported THE PESTICIDES Control Authority is reporting an increase in the importation of pesticides during fiscal year 2000/01 when compared with the previous year. In report tabled in the Senate recently, the PCA stated that there was a 3 per cent increase in the volume of pesticide imports. During the period 2,817,076.4 kilograms of pesticide products were imported into Jamaica, 77,398.8 kilograms over the quantity imported for April 1999 to March 2000. Fungicides accounted for the largest volume of pesticide import being 37 per cent and followed by insecticides at 28 per cent and herbicides at 26 per cent. According to the report, since 1997 there has been a decline in the proportion of herbicides and insecticides with an increase tendency toward the importation of fungicides. Most of the fungicides fell in the category of mineral oils, which is used in the treatment of the Black Sigatoka disease in bananas.
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