The markets in Cambodia generally sell vegetables that contain pesticides, both the good and the banned. Do people know the effects of the banned pesticides contained in some vegetables?

When people go to the market to shop for food, they won’t buy the bad-looking vegetables that may have scars or bruises. They usually only buy the good-looking vegetables, plump, colorful and blemish-free.

According to Sieng Huy, Deputy Director of Institute of Science and Technology of Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) said that vegetables sold in markets mostly used pesticides to kill insects including good pesticides that are recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and NGOs, but some farmers use banned pesticides that can harm people’s health in the long run.

Moreover, most banned pesticides are highly effective to kill insects in vegetables, so the farmers can get a good result after using it. Common banned pesticides are Endosulfan, Methomyl, Methylparathion, Monocrotophos, etc.

“If the farmers use banned pesticides in wrong way, it will make them feel dizzy, vomit or faint. For people who eat vegetables containing banned pesticides, it may affect their health in the future such as liver or stomach problems.”

She continued that to reduce and encourage farmers to understand how to use pesticides the right way that do not affect people’s health, the Institute had help workshops to raise awareness of the result of researches on chemical products for farmers.