Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Fake Pesticides and Fertilizers

For farmers in poor countries, often their biggest outlay is for pesticides and fertilizers. A recent report from the I
ndonesian Anti-Counterfeiting Society (MIAP) and CropLife Indonesia found that up to around 20 percent of the 1,500 registered pesticide brands fell victim to counterfeiting last year. Not only do the cheaper fake pesticides and fertilizers not deliver the benefits expected - leading to failed harvests - but they can also actually lead the farmers to far greater financial losses, as their produce can contain excessive amounts of pesticide residue ... making them unsaleable.