Colombo – The Sri Lankan government has recently decided to lift a ban on the glyphosate weedicide for the tea and rubber industries for a period of 36 months.
The move is in response to a plea by the Planters Association of Ceylon (PA), which claimed revenue losses of about 15 to 20 billion rupees (€80 million to €106 million) a year due to the overgrowing weeds.
Based on the recommendations of an expert committee, the cabinet conditionally approved lifting of the ban on glyphosate, said a 10 May official statement.
The decision to postpone the ban is subject to the introduction of a monitoring mechanism to prevent its overuse, misuse and leakage to water sources.
