Farmer in Guangzhou Approved for Arrest for Using Highly Toxic Pesticide on Green Beans

Reporters recently learned that the Zengcheng District Procuratorate of Guangzhou recently approved the arrest of a vegetable farmer surnamed Huang Mouguang, who used the highly toxic pesticide isocarbophos while growing vegetables, on charges of producing and selling toxic and harmful food.

Following a procuratorial review, it was ascertained that in November 2015, grower Huang Mouguang used the pesticide isocarbophos to grow green beans on a vegetable plot in a village in Shitan Town, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou, and sold them to nearby markets.

A test report from the Guangzhou Agricultural Standards and Testing Center showed that the isocarbophos contained in the submitted samples did not comply with the provisions of the Ministry of Agriculture announcement of China, making them substandard agricultural products. According to China's Regulations on Pesticide Administration and Ministry of Agriculture Announcement No. 194 and other relevant provisions, isocarbophos is a highly toxic and acutely toxic pesticide and must not be used on vegetables, melons and fruits, tea, or Chinese herbal medicines. Yet Huang Mouguang, who had grown vegetables for many years and clearly knew it was a toxic, harmful, and banned pesticide, still added it to edible agricultural products. His actions violate the relevant provisions of China's Criminal Law and are suspected of constituting the crime of producing and selling toxic and harmful food. At present, the case is still under further investigation.