The list of insecticides that must not be used for cocoa production has been released by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) , Ibadan, in its recently released bulletin.
The insecticides include acephate, amitraz, aldrin, azinphos-methyl, carbaryl, carbofuran, carbosulfan, cartap, terbufos, cyhexatin, dichlorvos (DDVP), dieldrin, dioxacarb and endosulfan.
According to the release, fungicides such as benomyl, captafol, hexaconazole, pyrifenox, triadimefon, tridamorph, zineb, copper-sulphate, carbide and fumigants such as allethrin, fenitrothion, isoprocarb, permethrin, resmethrin and tetramethrin also should not be used.
It added that herbicides such as ametryn, atrazine, diuron, fomesafen, methyl arsenic acid and 2,4, 5-T have also been banned.
“For fungicides, we have approved ridomil gold 66WP with cuprous oxide + metalaxyl-m ingredient, ultimax plus, with metalaxyl+copper hydroxide to tackle black pod.
“There is funguran-OH with copper hydroxide ingredient to tackle black pod, copper nordox 75 WP, with cuprous oxide, champ DP with copper hydroxide, kocide 101 with cuprous hydroxide.
“We have cabrio duo with pyraclostrobin + dimethomorph, red force with copper oxide + metalaxyl-m, pergado with metalaxyl-m+ mandipropamid ingredient, all to tackle black pod.
“For insecticides, we have actara 25 WG with thiamethoxam, esiom 150 SL with acetamiprid+ cypermethrin, proteus 170 o-tec with acetamiprid+ cypermethrin ingredient, all to tackle mirid.
“For herbicides, there are touch-down with glyphosate, clear weeds with glyphosate and round up with glyphosate ingredients, all to tackle weed. Then for fumigants, we have phostoxin with aluminum phosphide for storage pests.”
CRIN said it has produced a number of products from cocoa, coffee, kola, cashew and tea. Listing some of the products as cocoa bread, cocoa-cola beverage, cocoa custard, cocoa wine, cola wine, coffee wine, cashew wine, tea wine, cashew juice, choco garri and cashew juice extractor, CRIN said the public is free to visit it for detailed information and advisory services.
It said the information is specially for those planting cocoa and plantain as cover crops.