By Abdulrahman Abdullahi
As countries worldwide have banned the use of killer paraquat by their farmers, NatureNews has identified the 25 companies that are major importers and distributors of the harmful herbicides in Nigeria.
The companies that are spread across Nigeria are responsible for marketing the paraquat chemical, considered to be the most highly toxic herbicide in the world, under different brand names.
NatureNews investigation reveals that 13 of the companies are based in Lagos state while eight are based in Kano state, two in Oyo state and one each in Enugu and Niger states.
Leading the advocacy by the Coalition Against Paraquat (CAP), Professor Simon Irtwange traced the history of paraquat and how it became so pervasively used by farmers.
He noted that paraquat has been marketed in the last 60 years and used in more than 100 countries under assorted brand names.
Leading the pack is Paraforce which is the most used paraquat brand in Nigeria followed by Dragon. Other paraquat chemicals which are said to be deadly include: Weedcrucher, Reliquat, Chemquat, Weed-off, Bret P-20 Liquid, Bret P-(1 L bottle), Dizmazone20%, Glopara-Liquid and Gramoxon Super.
Also widely used by Nigerian farmers are: Gramoxone SuperII, Grass cutter, Mxiquat, Paracom Eraser Liquid, Paracot, Para-one, Paratex, Philozone, Premium Paraquat, Ravage, Scud, Slasher, Uniquats Liquid, Uniquat and DYMOZONE.
A Professor of Agricultural Extension and Development Communication in the University of Ibadan, Mohammed Kuta Yahaya recently called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to deregister and ban the use of Paraquat in Nigeria.
Addressing Commissioners of Agriculture at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Professor Yahaya said paraquat with different trade names has adverse effect on the health of farmers and other consumers of the farm produce.
“Studies have shown that it is a highly poisonous chemical substance that has been linked to numerous incidents that affect the health of end users who are mostly farmers,” he explained.
Professor Yahaya pointed out that such herbicides have long term effects that ranged from “damage to vital human organs such as lung (scarring), kidney and heart failure, and esophageal strictures (scarring of the swallowing tube that makes it difficult for a person to swallow). There is an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease later in life. People with large ingestions of Paraquat are not likely to survive”.
The don gave the immediate health hazards of the chemical as: acute kidney failure, confusion, coma, fast heart rate, injury to the heart, heart failure, liver failure, lung scarring (evolves more quickly than when small to medium amounts have been ingested), muscle weakness, seizures, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), respiratory (breathing) failure, possibly leading to death.
Despite the toxic effects of paraquat chemicals, the following companies are major marketers of paraquat brands in Nigeria.
Paraforce: Jubaili Agrotec Limited, Kano.
Dragon: West Africa Cotton Co. Limited, Oshodi Lagos.
Weed crusher: Harvest field Industry Limited, Lagos.
Reliquat: Reliable Agro-Allied Limited, Ikeja Lagos.
Weed-off: Saro Agroscience Ltd, Apapa Lagos.
Bret P-20 Liquid: Amanik Investment Ltd, Enugu.
Bret P-(1 L Bottle): Amanik Investment, Maryland Lagos.
Dizmazone: Dizengoff W.A (Nig.) Ltd., Apapa Lagos.
Glopara liquid: Century global Agriculture Ltd, Small scale industrial estate, Kano.
Gramoxone Super: Syngenta Nig. Ltd, 387 Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos.
Gramoxone Super: Syngenta Nig. Ltd, Mushin Lagos.
Grass Cutter: Crop care Ltd, 10 km Gunduwawa District Hadeja road, Kano.
Mxiquat: Adebajo close Avenue Nice way, Idumagbo Avenu, Idumota Lagos.
Paracom Eraser: Comfort Agro Chemical Nig. Ltd, 7a Niger Street, Kano.
Paracot: Afcott Nig. Ltd, plot 122-132, Oshodi Apapa, Expressway, Isolo Lagos.
Para-One: Vancol, Cropcare Ltd, G.Leventis Complex, Iddo, Lagos.
Paratex: Vertex Agro Ltd Km 10 Abuja-Kaduna Road, Suleja.
Philozone: Floret Trust Ltd, 13 Adejie Osunbanwo Street, Ejigbo, Lagos.
Premium Paraquat: African Agro products Ltd, 37, Niger Street, Kano.
Ravage: Crop Care, 3 Are Avenue, Bodija, Ibadan.
Scud: Fitsco (Nig) 1st floor Ance building Jericho, Ibadan.
Slasha: Unique Agrochemicals Ltd, 92 Younis Bashorun street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Uniquats Liquid: H.D.F & sons Nig Ltd, 24, Unity road, Kano.
Uniquats: H.D.F & sons Nig Ltd, 24, Unity road, Kano.
DYMOZONE: Dymota Agro. Nig. Ltd, 1 Court. Road, sabo Gari, Kano.
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Speaking in Abuja at a recent stakeholders’ summit organised by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), participants unanimously agreed that paraquat is dangerous and must be banned.
Prof. M. G. Kolo, who is President Weed Science Society of Nigeria, maintained that paraquat is more dangerous in Nigeria because of the hot weather.
“It may not be as harmful in other parts of the world with cold weather, but it is a killer chemical here.” Prof Kolo said.
According to him, farmers should embrace alternative herbicides that are not as harmful as paraquat.
Similarly, the Chairman, Boad of Trustees, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and owner of Sebore Farms, Admiral Murtala Nyako said “Nigerian farmers are fully in support of the initiative to ban the sale and use of paraquat in the country.
“We’re ready to support any bill at the National Assembly with a view to banning the use of paraquat”, he emphasised.
Ironically, many of the paraquat chemical currently in the Nigerian market may not have valid NAFDAC registration.
NatureNews investigation revealed that as at May 2020, none of the above paraquat brands had a valid five-year renewable NAFDAC registration number.
Available records show that the latest of the validation was for 2010 – 2015 for three brands of paraquat, namely, Grass Cutter (A5-0288), Paracom Eraser Liquid (A5-0290) and Uniquats Liquids (A5-0294).
In a reaction, the President of CropLife Nigeria, a member of Coalition Against Paraquat, Mr. Mahmood Tauhid said his organisation has since initiated and proposed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ban paraquat and initiate gradual withdrawal of the product through a four to five-year moratorium.
“NAFDAC has accepted our proposal and already issued a statement to that effect confirming a moratorium of up to 31st December 2024 after which paraquat will be out of the Nigerian market,” Tauhid stated.
He said his organisation has proposed a Pesticide Bill that takes care of all contentions and regulatory issues concerning the handling, use and application of plant production products including who should handle the products and where the bill will be domiciled.
NatureNews gathered that the draft Pesticise Bill is already with the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Honourable Muntari Mohammed Dandutse.
The stakeholders summit hosted by IITA in Abuja was tagged agenda for Coalition Against Paraquat (CAP) on the theme “Let us unite and save the Nigeria farmer and environment from Paraquat toxicity”.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Sani Nasir Gwarzo, said government would promote companies interested in human friendly herbicides.
He said, paraquat use should be discouraged die to the harmful effects on human lives and the environment.
Participants at the summit included the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Dr Yahaya Abubakar who was represented, the President of Belema Foundation, Mr Jack Rich, and members of the National Assembly.
