An action plan seeking to address issues related to pesticides was announced today by Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Clint Camilleri.

Addressing a press conference, Camilleri said that the issues of pesticide use must be addressed, particularly with regards to sustainable use.

The action plan is being discussed between MCCAA and the government will be released soon, with a public consultation currently ongoing that is to be concluded on Sunday.

Entities have held a number of meetings with stakeholders in recent weeks.

Camilleri insisted that pesticides were an important tool for farmers to do their job, but it was important for them to put them to good use. He did note, however, that the variety of pesticides to choose from in Malta was limited, and this has led to overuse of the wrong kind of pesticides.

Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Rights Deo Debattista was also present to speak at Ghammieri, the government farm, and he maintained that the proper use of pesticides will also come as an advantage to the consumer, as they will be able to purchase higher quality goods.

The possibility of the government looking into organic farming was also brought up by those present, but it was noted that the island being so small, this would not be an easy goal to achieve.