Agro-chem cos in a quandary as Centre plans to ban 27 pesticides

The swarms of desert locusts proceed to ravage farm fields throughout the country but the agro-chemical corporations are perplexed as at minimum two main pesticides, which destroy the predatory bugs with ease, are in the method of becoming banned by the Centre.

On May 14, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare experienced issued a draft notification, which explained that the use of 20-seven pesticides is probably to include possibility to human becoming and animals, therefore, the chemicals would be banned. It has given a 45-working day window for raising objections and suggestion. Between the 27 chemicals are Malathion and Chlorpyriphos. A different chemical termed DDVP or Dichlorvos would be absolutely banned just after December 31.

On the other hand, quite a few States in the earlier 7 days have advised Malathion and Chlorpyriphos for preventing the locusts’ menace. In early February, when the initial wave of attacks started in Rajasthan, farmers all-around Sri Ganganagar district experienced also employed DDVP for locust regulate.

The Crop Care Federation of India, which is the business human body of main agrochemicals producer in the country, is engaged in a dialogue with the Centre on this concern. Advisor to the human body, Harish Mehta, in an e-mail interaction with BusinessLine explained the govt is recommending only two items — Chlorpyriphos and Malathion — for the locust regulate. This yr, the infestation is 5 to 10 occasions even larger than the final yr and these locust swarms can fly more than two hundred km in a working day.

The banning of these types of items will generate a long-term handicap for the farmers in controlling the locust infestation, he explained.

Mehta explained that the proposed banning of the 27 items will make Indian farmers vulnerable not only to locusts but also to quite a few invasive bugs species. The policymakers should not ban these types of items as the business does not know when the need to have will come up in long term.

Mehta further explained that for the May 14 notification, the business players have by now submitted most of the required facts and there is no persuasive motive to ban them. These items are also employed in created international locations these types of as the US, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and other OECD international locations.

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