The transformation of 25 percent of agricultural activities into organic farming as stipulated in the government’s Fifth Development Plan has not been achieved, and organic products only account for five percent of the country’s agricultural output, according to Parliament’s Agriculture Commission.
IRNA reports that according to the Agriculture Commission, organic farming can be costly for farmers and therefore needs greater support from the government.
Recently, the widespread use of pesticides, hormones and chemicals in agricultural production has caused various government bodies such as the Department of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and other related organizations to express serious concern.
In recent months, several concerns have been expressed over food products in the marketplace, including the possibility that rice imports are contaminated with dangerous toxins and chemicals, the use of harmful hormones for making tomatoes red, and the use of palm oil in milk and dairy products.
Parliament’s Agriculture Commission has called for the promotion of quality control to identify harmful levels of chemicals, pesticides and toxins in food products.
