Philippines: Aerial spraying is safe, says Mindanao banana group

Banana growers from Mindanao, led by the Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA), have assured farmers and environment advocates that aerial spaying of fungicides in plantations is safe.

PBGEA’s technical committee head, Dr. Emily Fabregar, explained the group’s position in a paper entitled “Global-Positioning System [GPS]: A New Technology for Farm Application.”

“The use of GPS has greatly reduced the risk [of aerial spraying] to humans since the system automatically shuts off spraying equipment when it leaves the area,” said Fabregar in a statement issued by the Initiative for Farm Advocacy and Resource Management (Ifarm).

She said the “intelligent spraying” systems employed by PBGEA are also controlled via GPS.

The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority requires a 50-meter default zone along the perimeters of plantations to be sprayed.

Fabregar stressed that GPS-controlled mechanisms are now employed in all spray runs in banana plantations since the system reduces the amount of fungicide used. GPS allows no room for pilot error that may cause drift or off-target spraying, she said in the paper.

Fungicides are sprayed in banana plantations to kill the fungus sigatoka. This fungus attacks banana leaves, causes premature ripening, and gives fruits freckles. With these symptoms, a banana would fail to pass export quality control.

PBGEA noted that aerial spraying is the most cost-efficient method against the sigatoka fungus.

After residents and environment advocates protested against aerial spraying, the local government of Davao City banned the practice in 2007. The Court of Appeals later repealed the ban, declaring the ordinance issued by city officials unconstitutional.


Source: businessmirror.com.ph

Publication date: 3/12/2009