New machines to replace use of methyl bromide in rice fumigation

[Lite Beer]

New machines to replace use of methyl bromide in rice fumigation

BANGKOK, 14 June 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will be supplied with machines for the disinfestation of weevil's eggs through the dielectric method, under a collaboration between the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA) and Eureka Design Public Company Limited.

Chavalit Chookajorn, Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives, chaired the signing of an agreement over technology licensing right between the ARDA and Eureka Design Plc. At the event, he said the dielectric disinfestation machine would replace the more costly fumigation method via methyl bromide. Methyl bromide is also being banned by several countries starting this year.

According to Mr. Chavalit, the dielectric heating machine would destroy all weevils and eggs in rice without leaving behind any contaminants. He said the new technology would create an advantage for Thai rice in the global market, and allow Thai rice to be exported as a chemicals-free product.

-- NNT 2015-06-14

[clockman]

That sounds a better method, keep food away from chemicals.

[lucky11]

That sounds a better method, keep food away from chemicals.

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

[apetley]

That sounds a better method, keep food away from chemicals.

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

Hate to let it out of the bag but Roundup and Gramoxone use is endemic in Thai food production too.

[lucky11]

That sounds a better method, keep food away from chemicals.

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

Hate to let it out of the bag but Roundup and Gramoxone use is endemic in Thai food production too.

Maybe in your food - but not in mine as I eat organically as much as I can and source my produce locally in the South

This is from a market assessment report in 2013.

Thailand has not yet approved genetically modified (GM) crops that can tolerate glyphosate, so the market for glyphosate is very limited at the moment. If the Thai government approves GM crops, the glyphosate market will have more opportunity for growth.

Since it can kill crops, its application on crops is limited. However glyphosate is popular because it can effectively control weeds on both vacant land and in conventional tillage systems, especially before planting.

It is not directly sprayed on crops so the damage from this poison is limited. It seems that in the US, they use it at all stages of the growth cycle - even to dry the crop faster (it acts as a desiccant) so they can harvest the crop earlier than otherwise. In summary: in the case of America it is used intensively on GM crops whereby they routinely drench their crops throughout the whole crop growth period and in Thailand they use it to kill the weeds before planting the crop and do not directly spray the crops as it would kill the plants. Now who should be more worried? Oh!! BTW, eating GM crops destroys the stomach lining and forms massive tumours in animals!!!

[Thai at Heart]

Methyl Bromide has been banned for several years in several places. Why arent they using Aluminium Phosphide?

[NeverSure]

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

"...with the insecticide poison round up!!"

[lucky11]

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

"...with the insecticide poison round up!!"

Which aspect are you disputing?

[h90]

That sounds a better method, keep food away from chemicals.

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

Hate to let it out of the bag but Roundup and Gramoxone use is endemic in Thai food production too.

Maybe in your food - but not in mine as I eat organically as much as I can and source my produce locally in the South

This is from a market assessment report in 2013.

Thailand has not yet approved genetically modified (GM) crops that can tolerate glyphosate, so the market for glyphosate is very limited at the moment. If the Thai government approves GM crops, the glyphosate market will have more opportunity for growth.

Since it can kill crops, its application on crops is limited. However glyphosate is popular because it can effectively control weeds on both vacant land and in conventional tillage systems, especially before planting.

It is not directly sprayed on crops so the damage from this poison is limited. It seems that in the US, they use it at all stages of the growth cycle - even to dry the crop faster (it acts as a desiccant) so they can harvest the crop earlier than otherwise. In summary: in the case of America it is used intensively on GM crops whereby they routinely drench their crops throughout the whole crop growth period and in Thailand they use it to kill the weeds before planting the crop and do not directly spray the crops as it would kill the plants. Now who should be more worried? Oh!! BTW, eating GM crops destroys the stomach lining and forms massive tumours in animals!!!

Sorry to tell you: Even on the organic you find some insecticides, as it doesn't stop at one piece of land, the wind distribute it.

Beside that there is a lot of cheating with organic food.....even the old woman with the small garden does it

[lucky11]

Not with roundup she doesn't. They could potentially use chemical fertilisers, but I doubt this either.

[Basil B]

Methyl Bromide, does not sound a nice substance, you do not want that in your tea...

[lucky11]

Methyl Bromide has been banned for several years in several places. Why arent they using Aluminium Phosphide?

Aluminium phosphide (aluminum phosphide) is a highly toxic inorganic compound with the chemical formula AlP used as a wideband gap semiconductor and a fumigant. This colorless solid is generally sold as a grey-green-yellow powder due to the presence of impurities arising from hydrolysis and oxidation.

Yes, great idea!!

[Prbkk]

Just a couple of decades ago Thai rice was regarded as the best in the world, highly sought after, commanded a premium over all others. A bit sad that this 'jewel in the crown' has become such a basket case . Rice, prawns, fish. What's next on the SNAFU list?

[Thai at Heart]

Methyl Bromide has been banned for several years in several places. Why arent they using Aluminium Phosphide?

Aluminium phosphide (aluminum phosphide) is a highly toxic inorganic compound with the chemical formula AlP used as a wideband gap semiconductor and a fumigant. This colorless solid is generally sold as a grey-green-yellow powder due to the presence of impurities arising from hydrolysis and oxidation.

Yes, great idea!!

Well u have to fumigate with something. U do know what fumigation is? It kills stuff, so no, I wouldn't expect it to be nice. Done correctly, fumigation leaves no residue and stops little non indigenous critters spreading around the world.

[lucky11]

Methyl Bromide has been banned for several years in several places. Why arent they using Aluminium Phosphide?

Aluminium phosphide (aluminum phosphide) is a highly toxic inorganic compound with the chemical formula AlP used as a wideband gap semiconductor and a fumigant. This colorless solid is generally sold as a grey-green-yellow powder due to the presence of impurities arising from hydrolysis and oxidation.

Yes, great idea!!

Well u have to fumigate with something. U do know what fumigation is? It kills stuff, so no, I wouldn't expect it to be nice. Done correctly, fumigation leaves no residue and stops little non indigenous critters spreading around the world.

Well how about this newfangled machine that doesn't use chemicals? It is chemicals and drugs that are making people ill with toxic overload mashing their immune systems and leaving them open to heart problems, diabetes and cancer!!

[Thai at Heart]

Methyl Bromide has been banned for several years in several places. Why arent they using Aluminium Phosphide?

Aluminium phosphide (aluminum phosphide) is a highly toxic inorganic compound with the chemical formula AlP used as a wideband gap semiconductor and a fumigant. This colorless solid is generally sold as a grey-green-yellow powder due to the presence of impurities arising from hydrolysis and oxidation.

Yes, great idea!!

Well u have to fumigate with something. U do know what fumigation is? It kills stuff, so no, I wouldn't expect it to be nice. Done correctly, fumigation leaves no residue and stops little non indigenous critters spreading around the world.

Well how about this newfangled machine that doesn't use chemicals? It is chemicals and drugs that are making people ill with toxic overload mashing their immune systems and leaving them open to heart problems, diabetes and cancer!!

Well go look at their website. Not a peep about it. Fumigation is cheap and easy. I don't set how his gizmo will work. As for your belief that chemicals and drugs are making people ill , there isn't any produce in Thailand I would trust to be 100% organic. The world needs feeding and pesticides and fertilisers are a godsend but must be used correctly.

I would be 1000 times more fearful of diesel pollutants than fertilisers or fumigants.

[lucky11]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

[Thai at Heart]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

Where did I say anything about GMO. I talked about pesticides and fertilisers and the con that is much organic produce.

Shows how blindly exciteable you are, that you don't read what people write.

Edited June 14, 2015 by Thai at Heart

[lucky11]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

Where did I say anything about GMO. I talked about pesticides and fertilisers and the con that is much organic produce.

Shows how blindly exciteable you are, that you don't read what people write.

Considering that I asked this as a rhetorical question it shows that you didn't read what I wrote.

Why would I ask you this if you had already stated your position on them (GM seeds) either way?

I was just enquiring because you gave a pretty dumb and ignorant retort with your last offering!!

[Thai at Heart]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

Where did I say anything about GMO. I talked about pesticides and fertilisers and the con that is much organic produce.

Shows how blindly exciteable you are, that you don't read what people write.

Considering that I asked this as a rhetorical question it shows that you didn't read what I wrote.

Why would I ask you this if you had already stated your position on them (GM seeds) either way?

I was just enquiring because you gave a pretty dumb and ignorant retort with your last offering!!

What is ignorant about calling pesticides and fertilisers a godsend if used correctly. Without them, the world would be starving.

[lucky11]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

Where did I say anything about GMO. I talked about pesticides and fertilisers and the con that is much organic produce.

Shows how blindly exciteable you are, that you don't read what people write.

Considering that I asked this as a rhetorical question it shows that you didn't read what I wrote.

Why would I ask you this if you had already stated your position on them (GM seeds) either way?

I was just enquiring because you gave a pretty dumb and ignorant retort with your last offering!!

What is ignorant about calling pesticides and fertilisers a godsend if used correctly. Without them, the world would be starving.

No it wouldn't - but they would be a darned sight healthier!! Can I ask you another (rhetorical) question?

Has Monsanto and a few (3 If I'm not mistaken) other chemical companies bought up 60% of the worlds seed banks for:

A). The opportunity to feed the world and save lives or

Alternatively, as a means of monopolising the worlds agricultural food supply as an illegal cartel to make huge profits.

I reckon you will get this wrong, but do surprise me!!

Edited June 14, 2015 by lucky11

[Thai at Heart]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

Where did I say anything about GMO. I talked about pesticides and fertilisers and the con that is much organic produce.

Shows how blindly exciteable you are, that you don't read what people write.

Considering that I asked this as a rhetorical question it shows that you didn't read what I wrote.

Why would I ask you this if you had already stated your position on them (GM seeds) either way?

I was just enquiring because you gave a pretty dumb and ignorant retort with your last offering!!

What is ignorant about calling pesticides and fertilisers a godsend if used correctly. Without them, the world would be starving.

No they wouldn't - but they would be a darned sight healthier!! Can I ask you another (rhetorical question?

Have Monsanto and a few (3 I believe) other chemical companies bought up 60% of the worlds seed banks for:

A). The opportunity to feed the world and save lives or

. As a means of monopolising the worlds agricultural food supply to make huge profits.

I reckon you will get this wrong, but do surprise me!!

Are you sane? There are hundreds of companies producing fertilisers and pesticides besides Monsanto. My discussion is pesticides and particularly fumigants . you are ragig about GMO.

Completely different level of discussion. Wihiut any sythetic fertilisers the world will seriously struggle to feed itself. Monsanto is a different problem

[lucky11]

It just goes to how ill-informed you are on the subject. I suppose you think that GM seeds are a great idea!!

Where did I say anything about GMO. I talked about pesticides and fertilisers and the con that is much organic produce.

Shows how blindly exciteable you are, that you don't read what people write.

Considering that I asked this as a rhetorical question it shows that you didn't read what I wrote.

Why would I ask you this if you had already stated your position on them (GM seeds) either way?

I was just enquiring because you gave a pretty dumb and ignorant retort with your last offering!!

What is ignorant about calling pesticides and fertilisers a godsend if used correctly. Without them, the world would be starving.

No they wouldn't - but they would be a darned sight healthier!! Can I ask you another (rhetorical question?

Have Monsanto and a few (3 I believe) other chemical companies bought up 60% of the worlds seed banks for:

A). The opportunity to feed the world and save lives or

. As a means of monopolising the worlds agricultural food supply to make huge profits.

I reckon you will get this wrong, but do surprise me!!

Are you sane? There are hundreds of companies producing fertilisers and pesticides besides Monsanto. My discussion is pesticides and particularly fumigants . you are ragig about GMO.

Completely different level of discussion. Wihiut any sythetic fertilisers the world will seriously struggle to feed itself. Monsanto is a different problem

I'm aware of your views on fumigants, fertilisers and their like (completely flawed arguments in my book) and I am just interested in what your views are on a related subject.

Don't you realise that this is what these chemical companies want you to believe so that they can hammer out their mega profits? It's all a PR lie just as the pharmaceutical companies are a complete sham that is killing more people than it cures (precisely zero) so it isn't difficult to achieve that.

I note that you stated Monsanto is a different PROBLEM so you just might be catching on to reality!!

[Thai at Heart]

I'm aware of your views on fumigants, fertilisers and their like (completely flawed arguments in my book) and I am just interested in what your views are on a related subject.

Don't you realise that this is what these chemical companies want you to believe so that they can hammer out their mega profits? It's all a PR lie just as the pharmaceutical companies are a complete sham that is killing more people than it cures (precisely zero) so it isn't difficult to achieve that.

I note that you stated Monsanto is a different PROBLEM so you just might be catching on to reality!!

Demonising all fertiliser or pesticide companies as inherently evil is a very extreme point of view, when the alternative is the constant risk of famine or pesitilence. It isn't right to demonise all pharmaceutical companies either. The development of pharmaceuticals is single handedly responsible for improvments in life span and quality of life for us all. I mean where would we be without basic antibiotics and vaccines. Life would be pretty miserable without them, and people would be dying from basic strep infections without them. If you think the life expectancies in the so called developed world in 1900 are some kind of wonderful pinnacle of humanity where people starved and commonly died from basic bacterial infections you are barking up the wrong tree there.

Yes, Monsanto and GMO are big issues that go beyond basic fertilisers, but when humanity still has famine in the world, going down the path of demonising all companies in that industry is a nonsensical arguement. Whilst GMO is a serious moral issue for some, there are plenty of brilliant things that Monsanto has done outside GMO to improve yields and develop food production in places previously thought impossible.

[facthailand]

We only use brown rice mixed with red. Most usually, these state 'organic'. Before we learned better, weevil eggs would hatch and soon our rice was crawling and being turned to dust.

However, we cottoned on to the idea of putting both rice and pasta in the freezer for 24 hours, then cycling it back to the fridge to reduce condensation, then the cupboard.

As whole rice contains oil in its bran, rancidity can ruin its flavour. Best kept in the fridge.

Methyl bromide is an ozone-depleting chemical. It's toxic when inhaled. My question is, are there any traces of bromide on the packaged rice or does it off-gas?

Honestly, I don't think heating the rice to kill the weevils is a great idea either!

[Thai at Heart]

We only use brown rice mixed with red. Most usually, these state 'organic'. Before we learned better, weevil eggs would hatch and soon our rice was crawling and being turned to dust.

However, we cottoned on to the idea of putting both rice and pasta in the freezer for 24 hours, then cycling it back to the fridge to reduce condensation, then the cupboard.

As whole rice contains oil in its bran, rancidity can ruin its flavour. Best kept in the fridge.

Methyl bromide is an ozone-depleting chemical. It's toxic when inhaled. My question is, are there any traces of bromide on the packaged rice or does it off-gas?

Honestly, I don't think heating the rice to kill the weevils is a great idea either!

It leaves a residue, which is why by now, it has been phased out and replaced with Aluminium Phosphide. I can't believe they do much fumigation with Methyly Bromide any more anyway, because it wont pass export to lots of destinations.

The old stock of the rice scheme will be full of it.

[Anthony5]

Just a couple of decades ago Thai rice was regarded as the best in the world, highly sought after, commanded a premium over all others. A bit sad that this 'jewel in the crown' has become such a basket case . Rice, prawns, fish. What's next on the SNAFU list?

A couple of decades ago people at the other side of the world didn't know what was going on in Thailand, but the rice they deemed the best in the world at that time, was the same inferior product as of today.

[Basil B]

We only use brown rice mixed with red. Most usually, these state 'organic'. Before we learned better, weevil eggs would hatch and soon our rice was crawling and being turned to dust.

However, we cottoned on to the idea of putting both rice and pasta in the freezer for 24 hours, then cycling it back to the fridge to reduce condensation, then the cupboard.

As whole rice contains oil in its bran, rancidity can ruin its flavour. Best kept in the fridge.

Methyl bromide is an ozone-depleting chemical. It's toxic when inhaled. My question is, are there any traces of bromide on the packaged rice or does it off-gas?

Honestly, I don't think heating the rice to kill the weevils is a great idea either!

"My question is, are there any traces of bromide on the packaged rice or does it off-gas?"

Could explain a lot, according to many Thai women, "Thai men no good (in bed)"...

[PETERTHEEATER]

Methyl Bromide was the usual filling in aircraft automatic fire extinguishers until replaced. I was dosed twice with the gas in enclosed structures due to finger trouble with no ill effects once ventilated although it is toxic.

The so-called dialectric method uses RF (microwave) to kill insects, larvae and eggs by heat. It is neccessary to knowcthe dialectric value of the product being 'zapped' in order to use an optimum energy level sufficient to kill the pests without harming the product. The US used to market a dreadful product described as Uncle Ben's' parboiled rice presumably aimed at lazy housewives. Could parcooked Khao Hom Mali be an export winner?

[NeverSure]

Try telling that to the Yanks and in particular Monsanto that spray the crops that they eat and the meat they obtain from slaughtered animals that are fed on crops sprayed with millions of pounds (a year) with the insecticide poison round up!!

What's more this is soon to be super-ceded with Dicamba (as super weeds have become immune to the effects of Round-up now much in the way that the overuse of most antibiotics has rendered them practically useless) - an improvement? I don't think so, as Dicamba is pretty much a re-branded version of Agent Orange!!! I kid you not.

"...with the insecticide poison round up!!"

Which aspect are you disputing?

Your gray matter. Roundup is one word, is a proper noun, is capitalized, and is a herbicide, not an insecticide. Other than that, you are a very good self-appointed genius.

Rock on.