Some Shanghai strawberry sellers and u-pick farms are suffering from drop in spring sales following a national health scare about high herbicide residues in the popular fruit.
A recent investigation by China Central Television of eight strawberry samples from supermarkets, wholesale markets and berry farms in Beijing found the fruit contained high levels of acetochlor, a herbicide that can be carcinogenic when absorbed in large amounts.
The tests, conducted by researchers at Beijing University of Agriculture, found acetochlor residues ranging from 0.09 milligrams to 0.367 milligrams per kilogram of strawberries in the eight samples. The amount was far above the European Union standard of 0.05 milligrams. China currently has no standards on acetochlor residue in strawberries.
The findings spread quickly online through WeChat, the most popular mobile messaging service. Strawberry farmers in Beijing and provincial areas of China, the world's largest strawberry cultivator, were reportedly hit by a slump in sales amid consumer fears.
"This kind of thing can really hurt sales," said a fruit store owner at the crossing of Weihai and Maoming roads. "We used to sell at least 25 kilograms a day before the CCTV report was broadcast. But now, a daily stock of 5 kilograms turns out to be too much."
One middle-aged female customer in the store told Shanghai Daily that the news report did affect her choice in buying fruit. "If it happens in Beijing, it can happen here," she said. "I don't want to risk the health of my family. There are so many other fruits. It's not difficult for me to give up strawberries."
Some strawberry farmers in the Shanghai area have their fruit rot away in their fields due to plunge in orders from wholesalers. "One farmer complained that he had cut the price to 2 yuan (US$0.32) per 500 grams from 10 yuan, but there were still no buyers," said Yan Weizhong, a senior researcher on strawberry cultivation at the Shanghai Agricultural Technology Promotion Center.
Other citizens aren't so sure about the CCTV report.
"It's not of concern to me," said Ma Yue, who bought two boxes of strawberries from a local store. "I don't think the problem is so serious because they are still allowed in markets after the CCTV report. Otherwise, authorities should have banned stores from selling them. By the way, I really love strawberries."
Strawberries are indeed very popular in Shanghai when the juicy, plump berries come into season between March and May. There are an estimated 4,000 strawberry farms in Shanghai, with 2,000 hectares under cultivation, producing about 45,000 tons of strawberries a year, according to Yan.
Most of the fruit are sold in supermarkets, stores and stalls, but some farms have expanded into weekend rural getaway resorts offering urban residents the chance to hand-pick fresh fruit to take home with them.
China has weathered a series of food quality scares in recent years. Skeptics say this one may be overblown. They point out that herbicides aren't required in strawberry production. Herbicides kill grasses, weeds and other plant life but they don't function like pesticides in killing insects.
The doubters say the bulk of modern commercial production uses a "plasticulture" system. Raised beds are fumigated planting, then covered with plastic to prevent weed growth and erosion. The strawberries are planted in holes punched in this covering, and irrigation tubing is run underneath. Runners are removed from the plants in order to encourage the plants' energy to be channeled into fruit development.
"There is no need to use herbicide to eliminate weeds in such a cultivation process." said Yan, "If an herbicide were used during cultivation, the strawberry plants would be killed as well."
Yan told Shanghai Daily that chemicals used in cultivation are within safe limits. Agriculture authorities test pesticide residues on strawberries every month, and those with excessive amounts are not allowed into markets. Moreover, farmers who use banned chemicals may lose their agricultural qualification.
"No acetochlor has ever been found in strawberries produced in Shanghai in recent years because farmers here do as they are told and use other chemicals with low toxicity," Yan added.
Ruan Guangfeng, an expert with the China Food and Nutrient Information Center, said he thinks the strawberry scare is a tempest in a teapot. "Even if there were an excessive amount of herbicide residue left on the fruit due to improper cultivation, an adult weighing 60 kilograms would have to consume at least 3,500 grams of strawberries a day to ingest enough acetochlor to lead to health risks," he said.
