Although the sale of pesticides should take place under a validated certificate obtained from the Registrar of Pesticides, by year 2018, out of 2,294 pesticide outlets island wide, only 1,079 outlets had obtained a formal certificate for the sale of such chemicals, an audit report for 2020 issued by the National Audit Office reveals.
The audit report also reveals that the majority of pesticide dealers were not properly trained in handling pesticides. According to the audit report the farmers seek advice on pest control problems and pesticides from pesticide vendors who do not have formal training and knowledge.
The audit has further pointed out that the process of disposal of expired pesticides had not been successful and by September 30, 2019, 2,057 litres of expired pesticides and 24,153 kilogrammes of solid pesticides had been stored unsafely for a long time.