Bangkok Post January 11 1999 A question of trust Do you ever wonder how much pesticide was used to produce that "fresh" salad on your plate? Or how many chemicals were used to treat that spoonful of rice? Over the past few decades, the media has been full of horror stories about food exposed to potentially harmful chemicals. Then, to the delight of consumers, food labelled "green" arrived on the market. Supermarket shelves began to offer consumers an alternative choice, everything from fruit and vegetables to washing-up liquid. It was the beginning of a new era. But do these "green" products really mean we have nothing to fear? Sharp-eyed consumers may have noticed that a great number of products on the shelves these days are labelled "chemical-free" or "non-toxic." But are all these claims true? After all, surely only the farmer knows for sure whether the vegetables or fragrant rice in the supermarkets are actually chemical-free. At present there are no laws or regulations to control the sale of "green" products in Thailand. "Without proper control, consumers have to make their own decisions," said Rosana Tositrakul, secretary-general of the Thai Holistic Health Foundation. The system basically works on a basis of "trust." Buyers trust the green outlet they visit or buy from. The green outlets trust the suppliers and the suppliers trust the farmers to keep their promise not to use chemicals. "Our vegetables are supplied by the Boon Rawd Company," said U-thaiwan Ongsakul, manager of Hello Green which provides an organic food home delivery service. "We also sell 'Doi Kham' products [from the Royal Project]. We believe the 'good name' guarantees the products themselves," she added. One official from the suppliers Dae Chiwit explained the company only works with farmers they know have been growing vegetables and rice without using pesticides for years. Both Mrs U-thaiwan and those at Dae Chiwit said they occasionally send products for chemical residue tests, adding any producer whose produce fails the test will not receive future orders. However, when it comes to mass production, many fear the "honour system," may not work. "When such a system runs without proper controls, I don't think anyone can make any guarantees," said Virajit Lianchamroon from the NGO, Organic Agriculture Certification of Thailand (Act). "We all know that an honour system can be easily betrayed." she added. "It comes as no surprise to hear of farmers not keeping their promise by simply ignoring the rule." Ms Virajit suggested the government should implement controls on the use of "non-chemical" claims. "Anyone who claims 'chemical-free' on their packaging should be certified by an independent body who has thoroughly inspected the whole process from planting to packaging." Dr Hataya Kongchuntuk, a food specialist at the FDA's Food Control Division, admitted the laws are still very slack in this area. Unless the government comes out with stronger measures, food producers can easily find legal loopholes. Ironically, as far as processed food is concerned, she continued, the FDA claims to be able to inspect every process along the factory line. But organic farm foods, such as vegetables and rice, are out of the FDA's jurisdiction. "It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to trace the origin of farm foods and determine whether its labelling is correct," explained Dr Hataya. "If these terms ['non-toxic,' 'chemical-free,' 'green,' etc] are used on labels, the next question consumers must ask is: 'To whose standard?' " stated Ms Rosana. Many farmers claim their produce is chemical-free when all they do is wait a few days before sending it to market. Then there are those don't use pesticides but allegedly still spread chemical fertilisers on their crops. Others may abstain from chemical fertilisers but farm land which has been extensively contaminated. "And how can any farmer avoid using water from natural sources which have already been contaminated?" asked Mrs Virajit. In an attempt to introduce some sort of benchmark, Act aims to issue certificates for produce from organic farms. So far, more than 50 farmers have gone through the rigorous measures required by Act. These include leaving land free from chemicals for three years and building natural barriers to prevent contamination from chemical spills at nearby farms. "We will issue the certificates later this year," Mrs Virajit said. The Ministry or Agriculture and Cooperatives is also working on a food code which would eventually cover organic farming. Dr Hataya is hopeful the Kingdom's own "organic" food code will benefit both exporters and local consumers, as it will allow them to make the right choice. "A certified label issued by the Department of Agriculture is needed," she said. "The Agriculture Ministry and the FDA have to work together in order to help consumers," agreed Dr Somkid Disthaporn, a senior expert in plant pathology at the Department of Agriculture. Consumers can also help themselves, added Ms Rosana. Mrs U-thaiwan from Hello Green agreed. "Consumers must not presume products are chemical-free just because a label says so," she said. "They should send samples for testing, as well." *Samples of food should be submitted to the Agriculture Products Export Promotion Centre for testing. Call 940-6661. Comments to: Webmaster

Return to SAANTI DHARMA Current Issue

Return to SAANTI DHARMA Archive