Experts defended the approval of the bill which includes in Constitution the human right to adequate and healthy food

On Thursday (30), at the Chamber, the director of the National Sanitation Agency (Anvisa), José Agenor, informed that that agency has been taking measures to prohibit and restrain the use of various pesticides. But he admitted that, despite of that, Brazil allows the use of products that are prohibited in other countries, such as the United States and countries from the European Community. According to that director, the population should claim for the quality of the products they consume.

The Committees on Participative Legislation and Social Security and Family met on Thursday (30), to assess the data forwarded by Anvisa on the use of pesticides in Brazil and to discuss mechanisms to detect the presence of pesticides in food products for children.

According to Anvisa, Brazil surpassed the United States and became the largest consumer of pesticides in the world in 2008. That agency monitored pesticide levels in food last year. The director says that those levels are worrying: 64% of the analyzed samples of peppers had irregular levels. Strawberry, grapes and carrots also presented high levels, with more than 30% of irregular samples each.

Health risks
The use of pesticides is currently associated to several risks, such as cancer and endocrine imbalance. The pediatrician and Deputy Dr. Tamir (PV-SP), one of those who proposed the hearing, affirmed that the greatest worry should be about children. “We have been seeing a lot of side effects in children, which are caused by pesticides, such as skin, bowels, and respiratory allergies, neurological problems, which are truly worrying.”

José Agenor also stressed that, when someone picks a fruit, he/she wants it to be a beautiful one, but does not know what is behind that beauty. “I think that it may be difficult, but the consumer population, who goes to the market, should challenge its manager and personnel on the origin of the product they buy.”

Pest control
The general coordinator on pesticides of the Ministry of Agriculture, Luís Rangel, agrees on the control on pesticides, but affirmed that it is not necessary to label farmers as criminals. “For the urban citizens, the perception of pesticide is that it is a great villain, which will kill everybody. It is actually a toxic chemical substance, but it has a specific target, which is to control pests. Those who take their living from agriculture, or have had any kind of specific access to plantations, know the tragedy which is to have to combat pests, weed, illnesses, to keep his/her production in operation. And those people know perfectly the importance of that product.”

In a report forwarded to the Chamber, Anvisa explained that “the history of the irregularities found allows us to conclude that the major problem regarding the levels of pesticides’ residues in raw food is not in the exceeding amount of those products being applied on products, but the indiscriminate use of non-authorized pesticides for those cultures.”

Right to food
During the hearing, experts and congresspeople discussed the need to guarantee quality food to Brazilians. One of the suggestions is the approval of the bill (PEC 47/03), which includes the human right to adequate and healthy food in the Constitution.

That bill has already been approved by the Senate and is waiting for its review by the special committee at the Chamber.

Report - Paula Bittar/ Rádio Câmara
Editing - Regina Céli Assumpção
Traducción - Positive Idiomas Ltda