In October 2019 Thailand’s National Committee on Hazardous Substances voted to ban three toxic farm chemicals, two herbicides – paraquat and glyphosate – and a pesticide, chlorpyrifos. However, the decision follows protests by opposing farmers from Thailand multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry.
Thai farmers want clarity on what alternative choices are available to eliminate weeds and pests. A group representing farmers in the country wants a debt moratorium for all farming households and loans for machinery with the government subsidizing the additional costs.
At the same time, the group is encouraging the farming sector to use non-chemical substitutes in order to kill weeds.
(Sources: Channelnewsasia; Bangkok Post)
