MP Ali Bazzi calls for UN intervention as farmers appeal for compensation
Jump to full article: Beirut Daily Star (lb), 2005-05-11
Author: Mohammed Zaatari and Samer Wehbe Daily Star staff
Intro: AITAROUN: Israel has poisoned hundreds of thousands of square meters of tobacco plants by spraying agricultural pesticides on fruit trees in a grove in Israel bordering the village of Bint Jbeil.
More than 400,000 square meters Aitaroun's tobacco crops - central to South Lebanon's economy - were affected by the pesticide spray, which left thousands of seedlings yellow and deformed and prompted tobacco growers to stage a protest demanding compensation.
Aitaroun's Mayor Salim Mrad, who is also an agriculture engineer, said he had been inundated with complaints from farmers about damage to their crops.
"A week ago, our Israeli enemy started spraying pesticides on the border between us, using sprayers working on high pressure. The damage was increased by the strong eastern winds that carried the pesticides toward Lebanese land," said Mrad.
Mrad said Israeli farmers used glyphosate, an organic pesticide that is absorbed by leaves and rapidly moves through the host plant, damaging or destroying surrounding plants.
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