'Pesticides from Mahogani better than chemical insecticides'
Mahogani dust and oil extracted from this tree are being widely used as pesticides to save crops and livestock in the southern part of the country.
This was stated by Md Abdul Matin, sub-assistant agricultural officer of Rampal upazila, at a seminar titled 'Herbal pesticides from Mahogani tree and its multiple uses' at the auditorium of the Agricultural Information Service at Khamarbari in the city yesterday.
He said hundreds of farmers of the upazila in Bagerhat district have got benefits from the use of the dust and oil in their field as pesticides.
Matin claimed that the oil and dust are more effective than chemical insecticides.
“These not only help farmers save their crops from pests but also combat environmental degradation,” he said urging the authorities concerned to take necessary steps for its wide dissemination so that the country can take its patent rights.
“Since 2001, I have been encouraging the farmers to use the pesticides in their fields and I am getting huge response from them,” Matin added.
“I have used Mahogani oil and dust in my paddy field and I am getting good result. When I used chemical insecticides, I could not save the fishes. But now I can save them,” said Shahadat Hossain, a farmer from Bagerhat who attended the seminar, while talking to The Daily Star.
Dr Parvin Noor, principal scientific officer of Biological Research Division at Bangladesh Council of Science and Industrial Research (BCSIR), said, “More research is needed to ensure the safety of people and we have to observe that it will not be harmful for water, soil and air also.”
Md Shamsul Alam, director general of Agricultural Extension Department, was the chief guest at the seminar which was attended by agricultural scientists, officers and farmers.
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