Invisible formalin now appears visible everywhere. Cops with rifles are seen at entry points of Dhaka city seizing fruits infected with formalin. Police officials show up on TV channels and unfold their opening innings, throwing away a few truck-loads of fruits. Questions have started being raised how far these initiatives will be able to reduce the prevalence of formalin giving ultimately some relief to the people from taking formalin. Â
Appreciating the drive, Dhaka dwellers appear to be happy. But people say this could have been done before but nonetheless, it's welcome. Unscrupulous entities dominate everywhere. They have successfully motivated or compelled growers to the retailers to be hooked up with them. Producers quite naturally concentrate more on profit. So chemical spraying continues from budding to ripening stage.
   Small growers see hope for good income and wait for the time to materialise their dreams. Owners of gardens or villagers who grow fruit-bearing trees around their homestead are more or less aware of formalin's devastating effect in human body but ignore it. Buyers at sources, i.e, wholesalers, also put another round of formalin while keeping those in stock. Restricting or discouraging formalin can only stop at the growing areas and storehouses.
Protecting Dhaka city from formalin definitely would push people in the chain to difficulty. Tough actions of the concerned agencies will surely bring positive results but eying, controlling and booking some crooks would not always be easy task. Cops on TV also think that only eight guarding stations can stop intrusion of formalin-infected fruits. They are helpless when those enter through other ways. There are hundreds of ways to enter Dhaka. Measures may be of two types broadly: protective and arrangements for preservation. Â
Garden owners or farmers earn livelihood from harvest and some associated or intermediary groups are also visible. Obviously significant numbers of beneficiaries are in the entire chain. Strict enforcement of policy will surely force many to be in quandary. They might be jobless at least for a certain period. Fruits appear during its season which lasts 2/3 months.
Dearth of storage facility also compels growers and small buyers to sell lots hurriedly without waiting as soon as fruits get ready to be sold. To get better price and also to give a better look for some more time, formalin is sprayed. Bangladeshi fruits, especially mango, lichi, pineapple, banana, etc. are yet to get market abroad except for a very small quantity in few countries only to be consumed by our own people living there. Â
The Readers Digest a few months back printed pictures of Madhupur's pineapples covering two pages. This was very enticing. Good taste of mango and lichi is widely accepted and circulated.  Â
Awarding of certificates for exporting Bangladesh fruits abroad is complicated, time-consuming and cumbersome. Many processes need to be observed to receive no-objection certificates from importing countries. Furthermore, modern technology is also needed. Once fruits--firstly mango-could be exported to the western countries, our entrepreneurs are likely to start establishing storage facilities. This will provide scope for other fruits and vegetable producers to be stored. Â
Storage facility would have duel benefits: people would get fruits throughout the year and growers or wholesale buyers can store these for a longer time by avoiding artificial and harmful measures for shorter period of time.
The government's initiative of public-private partnership is yet to click fully. The government at its own initiative or jointly under PPP can build storage facilities. The FBCCI's formalin measuring kits in 10/12 stations or conducting mobile courts are simply ineffective in meeting demands of the people.
Notably, Japan imports mango from a few selected countries but India just a few years back enlisted its name as a mango exporter. India had to undertake a number of measures including chemical examination of mangoes. It finally succeeded in exporting mangoes to Japan after having waited for several years.
Machines could be brought from other countries with the support of ODA to support factories and lab in testing and making fruits ready to be exported. Small growers may be tied to multinational companies to fund and get scientific knowledge for more and quality production including arrangement for procurement of fruits. If the Japanese market is ensured, tapping markets in Europe and North America would not be difficult. Exports fetching good income for traders and growers would definitely discourage people from using formalin in fruits as a preservative. Â
It is heard that the existing law would be amended or new law might be enacted keeping provision of rigorous punishment. A law against food adulteration still exists but it can't be effective unless its application is enforced by the concerned agencies. Unless there is deterrent punishment, crimes like use of formalin in fishes and fruits will continue to escalate injuring the health of the nation. Â
mansurfm@yahoo.com
Curbing use of formalin in fruits
Faizullah Mansur | Published: June 20, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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