Australians' surging appetite for berries has forced the national farm chemical watchdog to review the risk of exposure to harmful levels of a popular pesticide. Blueberry, blackberry and raspberry consumption has more than doubled in less than a decade, prompting the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to propose new regulations for the use of dimethoate.
Executive director of risk assessment capability, Sheila Logan, said current residue levels were unlikely to pose a serious risk to human health but safety margins needed to be reconsidered.
Growers must wait one day after spraying blueberries and seven days after spraying rubus berries (blackberries and raspberries) before they can pick and send the fruit to market. Dr Logan's authority has proposed that the time between spraying and picking be increased to 14 days.
That has put the watchdog at odds with the $1.3 billion industry. Growers said the proposal would increase costs. They said the risks could be managed with a shorter timeframe without disrupting production and pushing up prices.
Read more at ABC AU
