RIYADH: The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday imposed a fine of SR60,000 on a pest control company and revoked its license to apply pesticides containing aluminum phosphide. It also fined another pesticide company SR15,000 for selling pesticides past sell-by date.

The punitive measure follows the death of a number of people in Jeddah over the past few months as a result of the use of poisonous pesticides, especially ones containing aluminum phosphide.

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal said recently that the government departments would intensify their efforts to prevent the illegal, under-the-counter sale of dangerous pesticides.