Farmers Misuse Chemical Inputs: Poisoning the Nation [Archives:1997/50/Front Page]

Yemen is importing every year more than 70,000 tons of harmful fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, etc. Malicious international companies are dumping the stuff on Yemenis. But a major part of the problem is due to greedy Yemeni farmers who refuse to heed manufacturers’ instructions for proper use. Yemeni farmers now import wonder chemicals – in liquid and powder forms – that make their qat plants sprout and grow, almost overnight. The farmers are instructed to wait for at least two weeks before harvesting. This is the period it takes for the chemical’s effects to be diluted and rendered harmless in the human body. But the farmers do not wait. As a result, consumers regularly take in a dose of dangerous chemicals. More on Report Page

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