Canal cleaning contractor destroys WCB farm with weedicide

A West Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) farmer is calling for the intervention of regional and arci culture sector authorities after he allegedly watered his crop with water contaminated with weedicide.
According to Shivraj Baichu who cultivates celery, tomatoes, and vegetables along with melons, which he plants for his own use, about one week ago a contractor employed to remove vegetation from the canal along the road shoulder at Foulis Village West Coast Berbice, used a weedicide to kill the grass in the canal.
He subsequently used the water from the canal and now his plants are dying.
“I told the guy on numerous times not to spray because that is the only place I can access water from and he sprayed the trench unknowing to me. The drug that he used does take about a week to act… And I used the water from the trench to water my farm,” Baichu explained to this publication.

The farmer said he noticed his crops started to get yellow in the leaves and after paying a closer attention to them he concluded that the water he was using was poisoned.
“When I bring him to confirm, he say ‘yes’ he did spray the trench. i reminded him that I told him many times not to spray the drains because this is the only place I have access to water.”
Many of the tomatoes appeared to be ripe.
The 48-year-old farmer said he would normally take them to Bourda Market, Georgetown and sell.
“I would have killed people because people would have consumed it… This is what I do to sustain my family and send my sons to school,” the man said.
The cash crop and rice farmer has four children at school and earns his livelihood from his farm. Apart from his half acre devoted to cash crop, he also cultivates eleven acres with rice.
“This guy just take away everything from me and I gave him the preference to come and assist me with something and he told me to do what I want; he prepare for anything that come.”
Baichu said he reported the matter to the Foulis-Profit Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and also to the police.
According to him, at the NDC he was told that he had to report the matter to the police.
“I went to the station and make the report and they told me I have to get the RC [Rural Constable] to appraise the damages and let me take the report back to them along with the pictures.”
That process has also been completed but the farmer said that he has to take a witness to the station.
“I told them that the guy admit to me that he spray the trench. If he admit to me, why do I have to have a witness?” he questioned the police officer.
Baichu estimates his losses over $1 million.
In explaining this, he pointed out that celery is being sold at $1200 per pound, and he should have been able to sell 200 pounds per week.
“I haven’t picked no tomato yet – I can’t sell people this. Every reaping should have been about 300 pounds and right now it is $200 a pound… This would have bear for two to three months. the celery would bear for more than a year; the more the cut the celery, the more it bears – it don’t finish,” he explained.
Baichu said it would take about 6-8 weeks before he will be able to plant again on the land.
“I want the Ministry of Agriculture and the authorities to look into this matter of these guys who spraying the trenches and I want compensation for my crops because this is what I depend on for my livelihood.”
The Agriculture Ministry has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to the spraying of canals, particularly in agricultural communities.