The Residue Problem and Our Tobacco
Historical process: In 1966, the residual amount of chemical control drugs in tobacco was regulated by laws and regulations in the Federal Germany, formerly known as Germany. Narrow residual boundaries, which were not possible in practice, were accepted. The hard-to-implement residue boundaries have been met with the reaction of tobacco producing countries and tobacco companies. Tobacco producers immediately started working against this move. Before 1966, some countries also imposed residue restrictions on tobacco, but the accepted tolerances were at least ten times the German norms.
After this decision of Germany , the issue was raised at the meetings of the International Tobacco-Related Scientific Research Cooperation Center (CORESTA) organized in 1967, and joint studies were initiated to find a solution. In our country, the necessary studies were immediately initiated and the situation was announced to the Ministries and private sector organizations related to tobacco. Studies were first started in 1968 within the Ministry of Agriculture. A project was decided to determine the residue amounts in Turkish tobacco and their blends and the main principles of the project were determined. According to the project, the determination of residual amounts was started with 1966 product year tobacco by taking samples from Tekel tobacco products, Tekel and private sector leaf tobacco stocks that represent the year it belongs to. The project was carried out under the responsibilities of the Monopoly Institutes and the Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Protection Pharmaceuticals and Tools Institutes, and useful information was obtained.
In 1990, with a joint study of TEKEL and Aegean Tobacco Exporters Unions, samples were taken from the stacks of Aegean Region tobacco producers and analyzed, and the status of the sector in terms of drug residue was determined. TEKEL has taken samples from tobacco producers since 1998 and had pesticide analysis done. As a result of the analysis, producer tobacco with a high amount of drug residue in tobacco was initially purchased at half price, and sanctions were imposed by not purchasing drug residue tobacco in the ongoing periods. However, residual tobacco was sold through other producers and used in the cigarette industry and export. In the 1990s, the refusal of tobacco-laden vessels from many importing countries' ports due to drug residues led to the bankruptcy of tobacco companies and market losses were experienced. TEKEL tried to keep the sector under control by taking samples from the exported tobacco for pesticide residue analysis until 2002. With the new tobacco law enacted in 2002, tobacco companies have their pesticides residue analyzes carried out and manage the tobacco production process in accordance with national and international residue norms.
Current Situation: For example, in the 2019 tobacco contracts signed between the producer and buyer, the use of plant protection products and drug residues are listed below.
I) No other plant protection products other than those licensed for use in tobacco by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry shall not be used at every stage of production starting from the seedling stage of tobacco. When using these products, the instructions for use written on the product label will be strictly followed, such as the amount of dose, the time of use, the time between application and crushing. Non-purpose plant protection products will not be used. The BUYER, in addition to the controls to be made at various stages, as a result of the analysis performed on tobacco samples taken at different times, the presence of at least two residues above the maximum residue limits determined by the Ministry, the detection of any plant protection product residue that is not licensed for use in tobacco and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry If it is determined as a result of laboratory analyzes to be carried out by the Directorate of Research Institute or in another institution to be deemed appropriate by the Ministry upon request, it is authorized to cancel this contract without compensation, provided that it notifies the PRODUCER. The BUYER informs the Ministry and the Aegean Tobacco Exporters Union within two days, together with the analysis reports, of the producers whose contract has been canceled.
J) Pesticides, dyes and similar substances shall not be mixed with the tempering water in any form during the equalization.
L) The MANUFACTURER allows the production and purchase-sale tobacco to be checked by the BUYER's technical staff at all times from the seedling stage to the equation (including the equation), takes into account the suggestions made and for the purpose of analysis not exceeding 200 grams at most 4 times and each time. Allows sampling to be taken. The BUYER may terminate this contract without compensation if the PRODUCER refrains from giving samples and this situation is documented by the headman of the place where the PRODUCER is domiciled and by two members of the board of directors, or through a notary public.
Drug residue is an important issue that needs to be dwelled on sensitively. Pesticide analysis is performed on the dried tobacco samples taken in accredited laboratories. Some companies have pesticide analysis done abroad. The tobacco production process is closely followed by tobacco companies and agricultural organizations. Necessary training activities on pesticide applications are carried out, posters and brochures are distributed, and information is provided on the fight against tobacco diseases and pests via SMS. Despite all efforts, there may be residual crops. Tobacco, which will remain in the hands of the producer due to drug residue, should be disposed of, for example, by purchasing it with an insurance fund to be established.
It is desired that agricultural pesticides have a permanent, in other words, long-term effect. If the source of the disease is intense and continuous or the pest gives several generations in a production period, long-term protection is only possible thanks to a long-term effect. The permanent and long-lasting protective properties of drugs cause a serious problem. This problem is that the drug leaves residue in the plant product it is applied to. This situation may cause similar residues in cigarettes , even though they are tobacco, tobacco products or even an industrial product. The determination and public announcement of various chemical compounds that are harmful to health or the maximum amount (tolerance) allowed in foodstuffs in many countries has led the producer and consumer to act more cautiously. Tolerance is the maximum residue limit (MRL) that drug residue is allowed to be in or on foodstuffs. Its unit (parts per million) is expressed in ppm. The tolerance-MRL amounts published by CORESTA as of November 2019 are presented in the list below.
Regional Analysis: Tobacco production in the Aegean Region is carried out between February and October, including the seedbed and field season. Producers grow tobacco seedlings themselves. 6 m² of seedbed area is sufficient for 1 decare tobacco field. Decare yield varies between 80-130 kg. Various diseases and pests may come to the fore in tobacco production areas depending on rainfall and temperature conditions. According to the current active ingredients in 2020, it is possible that 1.08 kg-lt / decare plant protection product (BKU) will be consumed in tobacco if the following application is applied to the spraying program.
In tobacco nurseries;
3 precipitators ( 25 g / l Fludioxonil + 10 g / l Metalaxyl-m, 360 g / l Hymexazole, 50% Metallic copper equivalent copper oxychloride )
3 blueberry ( 40% Metalaxyl-m + 4% Acıbenzolar-s-methyl, 80% Maneb, 80% Mancozeb + 9% Dimethomorph )
With 2 insecticides ( 20% Acetamiprid, 100 g / l Cyantraniliprole, 200 g / l Methomyl )
1 poisonous bait ( 4% Metaldehyde ) application,
In tobacco fields;
1 weed ( 450 g / l Pendimethalin )
3 blueberry ( 40% Metalaxyl-m + 4% Acıbenzolar-s-methyl, 80% Maneb, 80% Mancozeb + 9% Dimethomorph )
3 aphid-thrips ( 100 g / l Cyantraniliprole, 90% Methomyl, 50 g / l Deltamethrin )
2 powdery mildew ( 100 g / l Penconazole, 100 g / l Tetraconazole )
2 greenworm ( 200 g / l Methomyl, 5% Emamectin benzoate ) spraying,
Producers in tobacco warehouses
1 tobacco warehouse pests (100 m² warehouse) can be sprayed ( 25% malathion ).
The pesticides used in tobacco should not smell and the odor should not pass into smoke. For this reason, the drug tested against any disease and pest in tobacco cannot be put into practice immediately, even if it is very good in terms of destroying pests and organisms. Firstly:
a) Whether the drug impairs the smoking quality of tobacco is examined by subjecting it to medicated tobacco smoking trials.
b) Whether the drug leaves a residue on tobacco tolerances or not is determined by chemical analysis.
If the results of this trial are also positive, the process of licensing the drug in tobacco begins. The licensed plant protection products used against tobacco diseases and pests of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry are published at www.bku.tarim.gov.tr.
Within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the BPU used by EU countries and other countries is constantly monitored. If there are drugs whose tolerances are lowered or discontinued in foreign countries, appropriate measures are taken in our country. Thus, BKUs are organized based on current and scientific data. In this context, neonicotinoid active substances and propineb active substance were banned in tobacco in 2019. Reasons such as the mechanism of action of the remaining BKU, the development of resistance of pests, the fact that some importing countries do not want active substances such as methomyl and mancozeb, high-priced drugs, and not being available in the market may adversely affect tobacco production, and there may be decreases in terms of yield and quality in years when diseases and pests make epidemics.
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Sonsöz: In order that the pesticide residues used in tobacco do not pose a danger to public health and the sales volume of tobacco subject to trade does not decrease, the licensed BPU should be used for tobacco, labels should be read carefully and cultural measures should be applied. Diseases and pests should not be transported from the seedbed to the field, spraying should not be done during tobacco drying or yellowing in the warehouses, and the time between the last spraying and harvest should be respected. These are times during which drug residue amounts must fall below their tolerance. Spraying should not be done before the tobacco pests are seen, that is, before the spraying threshold is reached. However, if TSWV (Tomato spotted wilt virus) disease is seen in tobacco-growing areas, the damage threshold for thrips is not expected. In addition, tobacco production areas close to or within settlements may also be at risk. Regular spraying by municipalities during summer months can create residue in tobacco. Care should also be taken in choosing a field. 18.02.2020