As of June 5th, 2017, Executive Decree 40423 banned the importation of a toxic agrochemical called Bromacil. Despite the express prohibition in the document, the company Agricenter SA imported 4,200 kilograms on September 13th, 2017. This is stated in one of the documents issued by the State Phytosanitary Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Those 4,200 kilograms are to be applied in more than 1,000 hectares of crops. We then demonstrated with a letter, which was the one that I sent to everyone, where they respond from the phytosanitary service that in fact it had been imported,”
said Fabián Pacheco, from the Costa Rican Conservation Federation (Fecon), who filed the complaint.
The bromacil, due to its physical and chemical characteristics, has a high potential to pollute aquifers, even if good agricultural practices are used. In Costa Rica, it was registered to be used in pineapple and citrus crops.
The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Felipe Arauz, told the press that he was not aware of this and that the State Phytosanitary Service is making a technical report on the matter.
The State Phytosanitary Service was also consulted. However, the press officer explained that the officials are making a technical response to “justify” the import of agrochemical.