That is good news for Diamond-R Fertilizer, which is setting up shop in Jamaica.

"We would like to humbly stress that our fertiliser is of supreme quality, has plentiful nutritional value and, most important, free of bacteria, free of pathogens and absolutely free of all things harmful to human beings," declared Alex Kaminsky, head of the company's operations in Jamaica.

'No risk of contamination'

"There is no risk of soil contamination, water contamination or any other underground or above-ground contamination from the proper usage of our fertiliser," Kaminsky added.

While accepting that the fertiliser is not for organic farming, Kaminsky argued that there are no harvesting restrictions for farmers who use its product.

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica and the Scientific Research Council have both cleared the product, which contains processed human waste, supplied by Diamond-R Fertilizer Company.

"The tested samples were found to be microbiologically satisfactory. Chemical analyses met and exceeded the manufacturer's label claim," declared Industry Minister Karl Samuda last week, as he tried to bury concerns raised by Roger Clarke, the Opposition spokesman on agriculture.