More than two years after it proposed a ban on the use of the controversial weedicide glyphosate, the Agriculture Ministry has restricted the use of the chemical in agriculture by making it mandatory to employ a professional pest controller to spray the herbicide in the field. While the step is seen as one that increases the cost of cultivation, it will also ensure judicious use of the chemical.

In a notification published on October 25, the Ministry said: “The use of glyphosate is hereby restricted and no person shall use glyphosate except pest control operators.” It has asked all holders of the certificate of registration granted for glyphosate and its derivatives to return the certificate of registration to the Registration Committee for incorporation of the warning in bold letters “THE USE OF GLYPHOSATE FORMULATION TO BE ALLOWED THROUGH PEST CONTROL OPERATORS” on the label and leaflets.

“If any person who holds the certificate of registration fails to return the certificate to the Registration Committee, referred to in Clause (3), within a period of three months, action shall be taken under the provisions contained in the Insecticides Act,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry said it is “satisfied that the use of Glyphosate involves health hazards and risk to human beings and animals.”

Kerala’s plea

After it received a request from the Kerala government, the Centre in July 2020 published a draft Order declaring its intention to restrict the use of glyphosate and its derivatives through pest control operators and invited objections and suggestions, within three months, from all persons likely to be affected.

Even as the Centre dithered the decision, Kerala and Telangana have already banned this chemical which is mainly used in herbicide tolerant (HT) Bt Cotton and some plantation crops. The Telangana government last year imposed a total ban on glyphosate, saying the herbicide’s rampant use in cotton was “polluting soil and causing health hazards to human beings”.

Glyphosate is used in herbicide-tolerant HTBt cotton, a GM variety yet to be approved by GEAC. Still, it is widely grown by farmers in Maharashtra and Telangana. Peeved by the price control regime brought in for Bt cotton and the compulsion to share its technology with local seed manufacturers, Monsanto, now taken over by Bayer, withdrew its application for the approval of HTBt cotton variety.

Many farmers in India have already shifted to other alternative herbicides after prices of glyphosate have been on an uptrend in recent quarters due to supply disruption from China.

“The increase is cost of cultivation will be minimal as the use of the chemical by a professional will be as per requirement and stop indiscriminate use. Already farmers are paying more for HTBt cotton even though they are aware of the price cap on Bt cotton and they will utilise the professional if they know the benefits,” said a pesticide industry official.

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