Nation's first Methyl bromide fumigation begins

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, Dec. 13: Methyl bromide fumigation, which had not been implemented despite legal provisions introduced nearly 50 years ago, has been carried out for the first time in the country at the ICP in Nepalgunj.

Due to the lack of methyl bromide fumigation, the export of important herbs—including pine cones—to India had been halted for several years, resulting in 2,000 tonnes of pine cones remaining stuck in Nepalgunj.

According to the Herbal Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (HEAN), methyl bromide fumigation has finally begun at the ICP after continuous pressure and efforts from stakeholders.

Tanka Prasad Sharma, President of the HEAN, said that after the Indian government made methyl bromide fumigation mandatory for the export of certain wood products and herbs, including pine cones, these items had remained stuck in entrepreneurs’ warehouses for the past two years.

He said that, after collective efforts and lobbying, methyl bromide fumigation of pine needles has now begun, adding that 40 tonnes of pine cones have been fumigated with methyl bromide for the first time.

Prakash Poudel, Under-Secretary at the National Plant Quarantine Programme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, who travelled to Nepalgunj to inaugurate the fumigation process, said he was very pleased to finally launch the procedure for the first time in Nepal, five decades after the law was enacted.

According to him, the process involves placing the materials in a sealed chamber and releasing methyl bromide gas to eliminate germs and insects.

The Indian government has made methyl bromide fumigation mandatory for the export of certain wooden products and herbs, including pine cones.

The association has stated that the export process for the 2,000 tonnes of pine cones stored in local warehouses has commenced following the initiation of fumigation.

Rabindra Nath Shukla, businessman and advisor to HEAN, said that the export of around 100 containers of pine cones stored in Nepalgunj and collected from various hilly districts has now started. He added that pine cones are arriving in large quantities from districts such as Jajarkot, Salyan, Dailekh and Rukum, and that exports of the pine cones collected in those districts will also commence soon.

Meanwhile, herbal entrepreneurs in Banke have been demanding that the government reduce the 100 per cent tax imposed on the export of pine cones.

They had also urged Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal, who recently visited Nepalgunj, to begin methyl bromide fumigation of pine cones and reduce the export tax.

Finance Minister Khanal had assured them that fumigation would begin immediately and that a positive solution would be reached after discussions on the export tax with the ministry.