Steenhuisen warns banning deadly pesticides like terbufos could trigger crop failure

JOHANNESBURG - Minister John Steenhuisen has warned Parliamnet's Agriculture Committee that banning deadly pesticides like terbufos could cause crop failure.

Steenhuisen appeared before the committee on Tuesday to address his department’s response to last year’s pesticide poisoning cases.

A joint investigation by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the Department of Health identified terbufos as the cause of several deaths, including the six children from Naledi in Soweto.

• EXPLAINED: 'The intention is to kill' - what we know so far about terbufos

Terbufos - an organophosphate used to control insects and roundworms in maize, potatoes, groundnuts and citrus - has become prevalent in urban areas due to pest infestations. It often serves as an illegal alternative to certified pesticides.

Addressing the committee, Steenhuisen acknowledged the need to eliminate the toxic chemical but said a sudden ban isn’t feasible.

“It will lead to crop failure because we do not have an alternative for our farmers. They won’t be able to control pests effectively without terbufos.”

He also warned that a ban could push farmers towards illegal alternatives, escalating the black-market trade of terbufos.