Colombia bans fipronil-containing pesticide

Recently, the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Institute announced that the registration and use of pesticides containing the active ingredient fipronil are prohibited in the country. The decision was taken by a technical committee formed following the decision of the Provincial Court of Cundinamarca, Colombia. Previously, the court ordered measures to protect the pollinators.

Based on the technical research of the Colombian company Agrosavia, it was found that in Colombia, the abuse of fipronil has caused a large number of bee deaths. Quindio, Huíla, Cundinamarca, Meta and Cesar were the five provinces in Colombia with the most bee deaths last year, according to the survey.

"We need a dynamic agriculture, so bees are of great value. In this transitional period, we must take reasonable measures for sustainable agriculture," said Colombian Minister of Agriculture Cecilia López Montaño, reiterating the agreement signed with the Julius Kühn Institute in Germany, The agreement aims to advance scientific research and collaboration to promote the conservation of pollinators important to agricultural production.

It is reported that Colombia will have 12 months to discuss the choice of alternatives before the existing fipronil product inventory in Colombia is fully digested. Technicians have now discovered several alternatives to the insecticide fipronil, which will take a year to analyze to provide growers with options.