Beware Thailand's Killer Oranges and Fruit by Phairath Khampha 16 April 2002 Far from being healthy, eating certain kinds of fruit from Thailand, including oranges, and drinking their juice actually is hazardous to one's health, according to a study conducted by a consumer group in Chiang Mai, which showed that some samples contained pesticides and nerve agents in amounts considered unsafe to eat. The group sampled 10 fruit and vegetable products from a market in Chiang Mai city. Among them were three oranges, which were chopped into two, with one half of each piece of fruit having its skin removed. All six orange pieces were tested for the presence of organophosphate [a nerve agent] and carbamate. "All six samples were found to be contaminated and unsafe for human consumption," said Juthamas Jaikham of the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture Community (ISAC), a consumer and organic-farming lobby group. The tests were conducted in 2001 by the ISAC and the Health Science Institute. Juthamas admitted the sample was too small, but argued the result nevertheless was meaningful and that the public should be told. "The result was beyond our expectations, even though we already knew that chemicals were used heavily in orange groves," she said. According to Dr Amphaiwan Paradornnuwat of Kasetsart University, oranges are among the most intensively sprayed fruits. One crop must be sprayed at least 20 times to ensure high yield and quality. "As it takes almost a full year for an orange to grow and ripen, the fruit must be able to weather all three seasons. The problem arises during the rainy season, when pests are most numerous and the fruit is sprayed most often," she said. Amphaiwan said she believed farmers were finally starting to use less pesticide, however. But residents of Fang district said farmers of nearby orange groves were still spraying their crops with chemicals at least once a week. Fang is the major orange-producing district of Chiang Mai, growing well-known varieties such as Sai Nam Phueng for sale to local and foreign markets. Actual use of chemicals on farms is always higher than studies suggest, Juthamas said. "In reality, total control of chemical use is quite impossible," she said. Saree Ongsomwang of the Consumer Protection Foundation said pesticide tests on oranges in Thailand were very rare. She was aware of only one other study, conducted in the early 1980s by a Bangkok-based agency. The results showed 11 of 19 oranges studied were contaminated by pesticides. What is the safest option for the general consumer? Based on her two decades of experience, Saree said there was only one sure way: self-protection. "You cannot wait for someone to help you. Okay, the state should have a role in providing information to the public, but it must be supported by organising community-based groups," she said. "Neither government authorities nor consumer groups can shoulder this heavy responsibility alone. But further studies using larger samples should be conducted," she said. Chiang Mai resident Thipparat Maneelert, an educated woman who considers herself health-conscious, said once she heard about the contamination she decided she would only eat oranges from organic farms. "Yes, organic oranges may taste less sweet or be smaller, but they're safer," she said. Thipparat believed the standard practice of waxing oranges before taking them to market made the situation worse as it made it impossible for the pesticide to evaporate.