Over the past three decades, Parliament of Sri Lanka approved and passed several Acts and Orders to control the use of pesticides. The use of pesticides should be controlled to protect the environment, land and health of the people. The use of pesticides spread across the world after 1960 with the Green Revolution.

Sri Lanka was an agriculture based country that used traditional methods to control the pests. The natural methods did not harm the land or the people. The Agricultural Ministry hopes to establish control over the pesticides used by 2020. From the regulations made on Wednesday (23) the licence fee for the import of pesticides which was Rs. 8,000 has been increased up to Rs. 100,000. When the licences are given, the storage and distribution facilities will be inquired. During the importation of pesticides, a special licence should be taken from the Pesticide Registration Bureau by paying Rs. 1,000. A field evaluation report has been made compulsory at the registration of pesticides.

The ministry will establish a district and regional level post-analysis system for the use of pesticides. It will be implemented next year.
(ST/KH)