South African pineapple growers deal with effects of contaminated fertiliser

High levels of the toxic heavy metal cadmium have been found in South African pineapples after farmers unwittingly used fertiliser contaminated with the trace element. As a result, at least one shipment of canned pineapples from SA has been rejected in the European Union. The fertiliser, zinc sulphate, is used "across the board" by South African agriculture.

Angry pineapple farmers, who have suffered big losses, blame the department of agriculture for allowing the suppliers to import the contaminated fertiliser from China, and say officials should have checked that the heavy metals did not exceed the maximum allowed limit.

But the department says it does not check for heavy metals in fertiliser or animal feed. It checks only what is stipulated in the Feeds and Fertiliser Act 36 of 1947, and these 60-year-old laws do not lay down any maximum levels for heavy metals. It appears that these outdated laws are now jeopardising export agriculture markets, as local producers have to meet the stringent regulations for heavy metals in the EU.

The department of agriculture said on July 5 that it was "concerned" about the issue, and that there was a need for "some improvement" in the law. It was "looking at introducing maximum levels of heavy metals in fertilisers." The department said in a statement that it had analysed the fertiliser after being alerted by the pineapple industry. It had found, in addition to the cadmium, high levels of lead and arsenic. The department said it had "decided to quarantine the product until an amicable solution could be reached".

This comes after dog food was contaminated with Chinese melamine, and counterfeit Colgate toothpaste in the US, made in China, was found to containing toxic ethylene glycol, an industrial solvent. Cadmium is a trace element, required by humans in tiny amounts, but is toxic in large doses and is carcinogenic.

Allen Duncan, chairperson of the Pineapple Association in East London, has assured consumers that they are not at risk from the cadmium, as none of the contaminated fruit will be sold locally or overseas. The association had been testing pineapples from all over the Eastern Cape since last year, and any which have elevated cadmium levels are rejected.

Duncan said although the cadmium levels detected were higher than the maximum of 0.05 parts per million (ppm) allowed by the EU, the US, Australia, Canada, and Japan allow levels of 0.1ppm, double the amount. "The department of agriculture has the power to pull this off the shelves, but unless they did so yesterday, it is still available. The department is not doing its job," Duncan said. He said the department of health had written to the association to say that cadmium levels of 0.25ppm were not a health hazard.

The Eastern Cape pineapple industry has taken legal action against the fertiliser suppliers, Protea Chemicals, owned by Omnia Holdings. Rainbow Chickens started legal action against the company three years ago concerning the "pre-mix" in poultry feed the company supplied.

Omnia is one of South Africa's biggest fertiliser manufacturers and its profits went up by 58 percent last year. Mining Weekly in June reported that Omnia expected the demand for fertiliser to "grow exponentially," as world grain stocks were low. "It's a good position to be in for farmers," Omnia MD Rod Humphries was quoted as saying.

But Eastern Cape pineapple farmer Craig Handley is one of the worst positions of his career. Only about 30 percent of his pineapple crop can be sent for canning after he used the contaminated fertiliser. "Every field has got to be tested and if it is over the limit, we've got to leave it to rot," he said.

Handley, like other farmers, stopped using the contaminated zinc sulphate fertiliser as soon as the cadmium was detected. Zinc is used in almost all agriculture and animal feed. "Our canning factory has been very strict and won't take anything if there's a chance that it's over the limit," Handley said. He said representatives of the pineapple association had had to fly to Europe and Australia to explain the problem and ensure that South Africa did not lose any markets.

"Our field officers are running around to all the fields and picking one pineapple, sending it back to the lab for tests, and we have to sit and wait for the results. If it's okay, we pick for canning. "This chemical company has nearly been the death knell of the pineapple industry," Handley said.

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