Chemical residues in agricultural products and solution proposals

CIU Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies Dean Prof. Dr. İbrahim Baktır, advised that with the initiation of the green revolution, fertile grain types were developed, irrigation facilities were improved, and inputs such as hybrid seeds, artificial fertilizers and pesticides were provided to farmers.

"However, after the green revolution (the introduction of artificial fertilizers), the soil started to be polluted due to the excessive use of fertilizers, which were applied in the absence of proper information, unscheduled and unplanned, and thus nitrate poisoning began to occur, especially as a result of excess nitrogen use," stated Baktır.

Necessary and unnecessary chemical use is encouraged
Stating that thousands of new products are entering the market every year as a result of the dizzying developments in seed technologies and breeding studies, Baktır said, “Yield increasing studies generally reduce the resistance of plants against diseases and pests, as well as adverse environmental conditions." Baktır pointed out that the prominence of efficiency and quality brought the use of preventive chemicals, and noted that the large pharmaceutical companies in the world accelerated the use of necessary and unnecessary chemicals with continuous promotions.

Solarization is important
Baktır pointed out that excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides cause many health problems, and emphasized that it is important to establish solarization in greenhouses during the summer to prevent against soil-borne diseases.

Stating that in this way, greenhouse soils are cleaned with an environmentally friendly method, Baktır suggested that the cultivation of products suitable for the ecology of the countries and regions should also be encouraged and similarly, on an economic scale, species and varieties resistant to harmful diseases and pests should be preferred.

The most harmful chemical is herbicide
Stating that the "Ata Seed Project" that started in the TRNC should be protected in all aspects, Baktır said, "If chemicals are to be used absolutely, chemicals with a short duration of action should be preferred and should be used duly."

In his statement, Baktir advised the use of appropriate medicines published by the relevant ministries every year and to not exceed the specified doses, especially in fast-growing vegetables such as dill, mint, parsley, coriander, spinach, cucumber and eggplant.

Adding that the most threatening to the human health are weed medicines known as herbicides, Baktır said, “Herbicides also seriously harm nature, for example bees and birds. Unfortunately, the use of herbicides is widespread in the TRNC and it should definitely be brought under control.”

Baktir stated that it is important to inform consumers about this issue and that the relevant ministry should announce the residual (chemical residue) products to the public every week, within the framework of food ethics and for the necessary legal actions to be taken without compromise.