Opening of training: Union Ministers attended the event

The ceremony for the opening of a "Training on Technical Methods for Pesticide Residue Testing to Ensure Safety in Agricultural Products" conducted according to the project for promotion and smooth and easy trade of agricultural products under "Myanmar Agricultural Products Value Chain Support” Project included in the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Funded Projects was held held at the Agriculture Department's ISO 9001 and 17025 certified Agricultural Product Testing Laboratory (APAL) under the Crop Protection Division on November 24 with the attendance of Union Ministers U Min Naung, Dr. Charlie Than, U Tun Ohn, Deputy Minister Dr. Tin Htut, officials from relevant departments, the training coordinators, and twenty trainees.

During the ceremony, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, U Min Naung, addressed the event and pointed out that the major challenges faced by Myanmar agricultural products in domestic sales and export include excessive pesticide residues beyond the prescribed limits. He emphasized that in agricultural practices, pesticides are often overused, and in some cases, the residual pesticide levels in crops pose potential health risks to consumers. Such practices jeopardize food safety and security, harm human health, and threaten the environment. To address these issues, farmers need to be educated on the proper use of pesticides, their impact on the environment, and the necessary procedures for pesticide residue testing to ensure that agricultural products meet safety standards. He further urged that stronger enforcement of regulations, issuance of directives, and increased awareness among farmers on responsible pesticide use are essential to reducing pesticide contamination in agricultural products. Minister also encouraged the trainees to diligently study the training content and apply the knowledge gained in their respective fields, ensuring that Myanmar’s agricultural products are free from pesticide residues, facilitating smoother international trade.

Following the speech, Director -General of Planning Department U Kyaw Swe Lin elaborated on the purpose of the training, and Dr. Ye Tint Tun, Director-General of the Agriculture Department, explained the significance of the ISO 17025 certification obtained by the APAL laboratory.

The training, which will run from November 24 to 28, cover the pesticide residue testing techniques for agricultural products intended for export, aimed at ensuring food safety and environmental protection and will be attended by twenty participants.