Nothing being done aboutthis dangerous practice with our fruits

May 19, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,

Over the years repeatedly I’ve penned my concerns regarding the farmers lacing their produce, mainly fruits and vegetables with chemicals and putting it on the market without giving the produce the due time for the chemicals to be less toxic. Under the previous administration and this present I’ve complained and those responsible fail to act or address this issue properly. Today you go to the market, make your purchase, store it either in or out of a fridge and chances are that most would be in a condition that you would end up discarding most away because it’s become inedible. Our country is still in the stone age in terms of medical testing and I am quite certain that the drugs in the fruits/vegetables cause some sort of effects on us. Government alone is not responsible for this lapse, there are various agencies responsible to monitor and carried out random checks but are failing. These people are getting paid to do a job and are not doing it.
Those found wanting should be dismissed and give others a chance. That’s the only way we will have an effective system.
Editor, at this present time, it’s the season for mangoes and without doubt, it’s the most widely selling fruit, green or ripe. There is a chemical popularly known as ripening/ripener, which is being used on vegetables and fruits to get them ripe before their period. When the mango is close to being ripe (most people say half ripe / full / turn) they would put the chemical on the fruits or vegetables. Now there are vendors going around purchasing mangoes (buying out the whole trees/all the mangoes from the tree) and taking them home and soaking them in the chemicals to get them ripe. Sometimes or in most cases, these mangoes are extra green and they are being put in the chemicals to get ripe. Now you innocently make a purchase and if you don’t eat it out the same day, it would turn black or have abnormal black spots inside, making it inedible. This is a new development and many fruits, especially mangoes, banana, etc. are being forced to ripe before the given time. As I said before, there’s people getting paid to do their jobs and they are not doing it. At any given day you could go to Stabroek Market and you would see people buying and getting either under-weight or expired items and the only time raids are being conducted is when someone in higher authority says something. We are not moving/heading anywhere and it’s sad.

Sahadeo Bates

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