March 3, 2022

16:03

Luana Carvalho – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Two organic coffee producers in the municipality of Apuí, in the southern region of Amazonas state, may have had their plantations affected after an airplane – of unidentified property – dumped pesticides in the region on February 8.

According to the Amazon Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development (Idesam), the aerial spraying affected areas belonging to two producers of the “Coffee in Agroforestry” project, located in the Coruja and Raulino Sectors, of the Rio Juma Settlement Project.

Both filed a complaint with the local police station and were visited and sampled by the Military, Federal and Environmental Police, for characterization of the incident as an environmental crime.

Over the two weeks, according to information released by Idesam, it was possible to notice the death of several fruit and agricultural plants, in productive age, causing financial loss and putting at risk all the effort undertaken by producers over the past eight years to obtain the organic seal.

“The producers also noticed the absence of birds, butterflies, and bees in the region. The presence of pollinators and predators to control pests naturally is essential to the organic production system, since it provides the balance of the production system,” says a note issued by Idesam.

The Institute collected coffee samples from the site to be analyzed in a laboratory. The objective is to verify if the pesticides have affected the integrity of the beans. “If any type of contamination is found, Idesam will follow all appropriate procedures for the maintenance of both the quality and certification of Café Apuí and the guarantee of economic security for affected producers.”

The institute informed that it will offer psychological and legal support to the producers.