The results of tests conducted by the Attorney General's office on 774 samples of local agricultural products in Tripoli, Benghazi and Misrata revealed the extent of the pesticide residue problem in Libyan food, as 65.37% of the samples contained residues, while 44.70% of them exceeded the maximum limits allowed internationally, while 34.63% of the samples were completely free of residues.
The results also showed that more than 36% of the contaminated samples contained a mixture of pesticides, in some cases reaching 7 active ingredients in a single sample, while 37 active ingredients were detected entering the market illegally or without supervision, including 7 prohibited pesticides.
Carbendazim topped the list of discovered substances, appearing 148 times, followed by Lenuron 71 times, and then Chlorpyrifos 46 times. These substances are banned in Libya and not approved in the European Union, according to data from the Attorney General's office.
The results showed that more than 36% of the contaminated samples contained a mixture of pesticides (Libyan Attorney General's Office)
Carbendazim releases the discovered materials (Libyan Attorney General's Office)
Where does the problem come from?
These results do not point to a single problem, but to a chain of events that begins with the pesticide entering the country and does not end with its use on the farm.
Jubail identifies the most prominent of these practices as choosing an unsuitable pesticide, using excessive doses, mixing pesticides randomly, and not adhering to the safety period between the last spraying operation and harvesting, which in some cases may extend to 15 or 21 days.
He notes that some farmers harvest before the safety period has ended, and that reusing the same active ingredient, spraying in unfavorable climatic conditions, or using unsuitable spraying water may increase residues.
He warns that the nature of some crops makes them more susceptible to residue accumulation, especially strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, in addition to leafy vegetables such as lettuce, arugula, parsley and mint, which in some cases are subjected to repeated spraying and are harvested in batches.
The Attorney General’s office classified strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers as being in the highest risk category, while carrots, zucchini, turnips, green onions, and chard were classified as being in the medium risk category.
In the low-risk category came potatoes, citrus fruits, legumes, cauliflower, garlic, onions and pumpkin.
Classifying the crop as low or high does not mean that every sample is contaminated, but it reflects the level of risk shown by the test results, according to the classification in the investigation.
From farm to market
The judicial proceedings related to the food security file resulted in the opening of 33 cases and the investigation of 23 farmers and 32 warehouses, with the imprisonment of a number of defendants and the referral of others to investigation.
The crackdown extended to different regions of the country. In Tobruk, 10 shops were inspected and 3 shops were found to be trading in prohibited pesticides. In Sabha and the southern regions, 44 shops were inspected and violations were found in 17 of them, and 7 people were arrested.
In the area of Gharyan-Nalut, 25 shops were inspected, 79 containers of banned pesticides were seized, and 8 people were arrested and detained, according to the Attorney General's office.
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