Fertiliser which was imported last year by the Government, to ease the financial burden on farmers, has been given a clean bill of health.

Minister of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, Karl Samuda, told a press conference at the ministry in Kingston Wednesday that this was the result of conclusive tests carried out by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and the Scientific Research Council (SRC).

He pointed out that micro-biological analyses and chemical tests were conducted by the bureau on coliform count, faecal coliform count, and the E.coli count, among a range of other factors.

The minister noted that none of the pathogens, for which the samples were assessed, were detected. He said the ministry also requested that the SRC conduct its own testing of the fertiliser.

Mr Samuda said, as was expected, the analyses revealed that there was an absence of total coliform, faecal coliform, and E.coli in the fertiliser.

Fertiliser is very safe

"Based on these findings, we can assure the Jamaican people that the fertiliser is very safe," the minister said.

He pointed out that the bacterial content was proven safe, as scientists have advised that the content of the fertiliser was treated at a temperature of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. It was revealed that most micro-organisms cannot survive beyond 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Government had ordered the tests to allay concerns in the public domain about the contents of the fertiliser, and its attendant high odour. The high odour associated with the fertiliser was attributed to the high sulphur content in the nitrate-based product.

- JIS News