Paraquat ban imminent, hoarding surge triggered; public suggests special packaging to prevent misuse

Convenient for farmers' work yet also criticized as a suicide tool, the use of paraquat remains endlessly controversial to this day. Even though the Council of Agriculture has announced a full ban starting February 1, 2019, during the two-year advance notice period while supporting measures remain undecided, a pesticide stockpiling surge has already appeared. Academia, the medical field and the industry all point out that the existence of the chemical itself is not a fault; a comprehensive pesticide control mechanism should be completed. Scholars further suggest that manufacturers could adopt "special packaging" for paraquat, to reduce misuse of highly toxic pesticides at the current stage.

Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Director-General Huang Hsiang-Cheng: I personally do not agree with paraquat's exit; strengthening management should be the focus

Legislator Chung Chia-Pin today held a forum at the Legislative Yuan, inviting all sectors to exchange views on paraquat. At the meeting, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Director-General Huang Hsiang-Cheng spoke first, stressing that he personally completely opposes letting paraquat exit the market, because the public health sector has always held differing opinions on suicide prevention, and the policy was ultimately set on this basis. He believes "strengthened management" should be adopted as the countermeasure, as that is the fundamental approach; in particular, starting this year pesticide purchases have already adopted a registration system, which can further avoid misuse.

As for why February 1, 2018 (the 107th year of the Republic of China) was chosen as the cutoff for processing and imports, and February 1, 2019 (the 108th year) as the start of the ban on sale and use, he explained that this took into account the needs of adzuki bean farmers, whose harvest should be complete by then, which is why such a timetable was set. For future alternative agents, besides sodium chlorate, glufosinate will also be given priority consideration; it is expected that this year's autumn crop season will see further commissioned trials by the Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station to establish residue tolerance levels, for use as a foliage desiccant.

Paraquat ban impacts adzuki bean industry; farmers strive to transition, find a way out through reassuring contract farming