The Hindu Business Line : `Pesticides use in farm sector not beyond safety limit'

The Agriculture Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, called for concerted efforts on the part of the Central and State Governments and the industry in limiting the adverse impact arising from incorrect use of pesticides.

New Delhi , Sept. 18

EVEN as concerns are being expressed over the presence of pesticide residues in most food articles, the Centre today clarified that consumption of agro-chemicals here was low related to the levels in other countries.

According to Mr R.C.A. Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, India uses 300-400 grams of pesticides per hectare, which is only about one-fourth that of the US, one-fifth of Europe and China, 1/27th of Japan and 1/40th of South Korea. This is certainly not beyond the safety limit, he said at the 4th Asia-Pacific Crop Protection Conference, jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (FICCI) and the Pesticide Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) here.

Speaking on the occasion, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, called for concerted efforts on the part of the Central and State Governments and the industry in limiting the adverse impact arising from incorrect use of pesticides. Highlighting the need to follow the integrated pest management (IPM) approach, the Minister said that it was necessary to keep the country's agricultural produce free from any pesticide residue contamination.

Meanwhile, a Ministry official confirmed that there are 31 pesticides being marketed in India, which are reported to be banned or restricted in some other countries.

These include alachlor, aluminium phosphide, benomy, captan, carbaryl, carbofuran, carbosulfan, dicofol, dimethoate, diuron, endosulfan, fenarimol, fenpropathrin, lindane, linuron, malathian, methomyl, methoxy ethyl mercury chloride, methyl parathion, monocrotophos, oxyfluorfen, paraquat dichloride, phorate, phosphamidon, pretilachlor, triazophos, tridemorph, thiometon, thiram, zinc phosphide and ziram.

Banning or restricting the use of any pesticide depends on local agro-climatic and environmental conditions. The position regarding continued use/banning of any pesticide is periodically reviewed by expert committees and the Centre takes its decisions based on their recommendation. "The 31 pesticides listed have not been recommended for ban yet," the official added.

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