MEHERPUR, Feb 19: Gangni Upazila of the district is known for vegetable cultivation. But its name is being tarnished by some dishonest growers and traders as the upazila is being flooded with chemically-treated tomatoes.
Immature tomatoes are lifted from fields, and these are made red-looking by spraying chemicals. Buyers are getting attracted to the colour and purchasing those at higher prices.
In public chemical-made-red tomatoes are being sold. But there has been no effective step by local administration. Physicians said, consumers are getting infected with various diseases by eating chemically-ripen tomatoes. But administration said, the matter will be investigated and action will be taken.
Tomatoes have been cultivated on 85 hectares in Gangni Upazila this season.
Selected chemicals are being sprayed every day, keeping the tomatoes under the sun and covering these with straw for about two weeks.
Traders said, a little quantity of chemical is being applied in tomatoes that is not harmful. Growers said, due to market demand, traders are collecting immature tomatoes and selling those in markets after ripening those with chemicals.
Tanvir in Bamondi Bazar, who came to buy tomatoes, said many people are buying tomatoes seeing the colour; the situation is the same everywhere; so, conscious buyers are eager to buy raw tomatoes. But most people are buying artificially-ripen ones.
Chemically-treated tomatoes are also being sold by retailers. Raw tomatoes are also being sold as per the demand of conscious buyers.
Gangni Upazila Agriculture Officer KM Shahabuddin said, several varieties of tomatoes are being produced in Gangni Upazila and being sold in the market. There has been allegation of spraying chemicals on tomatoes, and action will be taken after finding out the matter, he maintained.
Dr Abu Taher Siddique in the district town said, eating this vegetable treated with chemicals can cause temporary problems as well as incurable diseases like cancer; if it is not taken care of, the common people may get infected with complex and difficult diseases.
Rafiqul Alam, president of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB)-Meherpur Branch, said, buyers are deceived in this trickery. He urged the local administration to take effective action in this regard.
Gangni Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mousumi Khanom gave assurance of taking legal action against the people responsible.
