Each year, there are reports of farmers who suffer losses because of the incorrect use of agrochemicals. This can be due to using the wrong products, such as when a herbicide is mistaken for a pesticide, or the incorrect use of the right product, according to Rosa Kruger, founder of the Vineyard Workers’ Development Trust.
Kruger says using the wrong product can wipe out an entire orchard or vineyard. Incorrect use of a product can cause financial losses by failing to protect crops against pests and diseases, or having a negative impact on plant growth, yield and product quality.
Using incorrect dosages, or the overuse of products with the same active ingredients or from the same chemical group, can also result in pests, diseases or weeds developing resistance to specific chemical groups, leaving farmers with fewer management options.
The incorrect use of agrochemicals can be harmful to the environment, causing leaching into water systems or destroying beneficial
