Crop nutrition. One-fifth of country’s chemical pesticides’ demand comes from Maharashtra

Nearly half of the country’s demand for chemical pesticides in 2020-21 came from the three States— Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana . Almost 46.38 per cent of the demand for 70,668 tonnes of chemical pesticides was from these three States.

Maharashtra contributed nearly one-fifth of the country’s demand for chemical pesticides during 2020-21. While Maharashtra led the demand for chemical pesticides at 14,396 tonnes, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana followed it with 11,850 tonnes and 6,535 tonnes, respectively, during the period.

The demand from other agriculture-centric States such as Punjab and Haryana for chemical pesticides was at 5,700 tonnes and 4,200 tonnes of, respectively, during 2020-21.

Some States in India do not use chemical pesticides. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, said the northeastern States such as Meghalaya and Sikkim have been notified as ‘organic State’. The reply said the information is based on inputs provided by States and Union Territories during zonal conferences on plant protection for kharif and rabi seasons.

It also said the use and requirement of pesticides are based on specific pests and diseases in agriculture in the States and Union Territories.

Comparatively, the demand for chemical pesticides across the country has come down from 73,244 tonnes in 2018-19 to 70,668 tonnes in 2020-21. The country’s demand stood at 69,211 tonnes in 2019-20.

Production

However, the production of key pesticides in the country went up significantly by 33.02 per cent in 2020-21. The country produced a total of 2.55 lakh tonnes of key pesticides in 2020-21 against 1.91 lakh tonnes in 2019-20. In 2018-19, the country produced 2.16 lakh tonnes of key pesticides.

Pesticide ‘mancozeb’ led the table in terms of production in the country. Of the 2.55 lakh tonnes of pesticide production in the country, the share of ‘mancozeb’ was 97,428 tonnes during 2020-21. Mancozeb’s production went up from 60,880 tonnes in 2019-20 to 97,428 in 2020-21, an increase of 36,548 tonnes.

Production of another key pesticide, ‘acephate’, went up from 21,081 tonnes to 29,588 tonnes in 2020-21, an increase of 8,507 tonnes.

Production of another key pesticide, ‘2,4-D’, went up to 27,050 tonnes in 2020-21 as against 22,555 tonnes in 2019-20, an increase of 4,495 tonnes.

India imported key pesticides to the tune of 1.57 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 as against 1.06 lakh tonnes in 2019-20.

The Minister informed the Rajya Sabha that pesticides are inherently toxic in nature and are designed to control pests, diseases and weeds. If pesticides are used in prescribed dosages and methodology mentioned on label and leaflets, they do not pose any risk or hazard to human beings, animal and matter related therewith. “But the indiscriminate or excessive use/misuse or overuse of pesticides by farmers/ handlers and consumers may cause risk to human beings, animals and matter related therewith,” he said.

Fertilizer production

To a separate query on the increase in the production of fertilizers during the last three years till date, Mandaviya said the production of major fertilizers in the country stood at 367.91 lakh tonnes till January of 2021-22.

India’s fertilizer production stood at 433.66 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 as against 425.92 lakh tonnes in 2019-20.

During 2021-22, country’s requirement of urea has been estimated at 356.53 lakh tonnes, DAP at 123.89 lakh tonnes, MOP at 37.10 lakh tonnes and NPKS at 122.73 lakh tonnes.

The written reply in Rajya Sabha said that new urea plants are being set up through revival of Talcher, Ramagundam, Gorakhpur and Sindri plants of Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd and Barauni plant of Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Ltd by forming joint-venture company of nominated public sector undertakings.

No DAP shortage

The Central government has asked the fertilizer companies to manufacture additional DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) to meet the demands during the current rabi season.

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Mansukh Madaviya, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, said there is no acute shortage of DAP fertilizer in the country.

However, in between the season, some States highlighted shortfall of DAP fertilizer, particularly in a few districts. Accordingly, based on the requests of State governments, DAP rakes were moved to meet the requirement.

He said the overall availability of DAP fertilizer in the country is comfortable during the ongoing rabi season 2021-22.

On the initiatives taken by the Government to develop DAP in the country, he said the Department of Fertilizer has instructed companies to manufacture additional DAP by using the NPK stream for DAP production on ‘no profit no loss’ basis over and above the ongoing production of DAP. This is aimed at meeting the demand of the farming community.

He said that a roadmap is in place to ensure regular and sufficient supply of raw material / finished fertilizers from various countries under long-term arrangement.

COMMENT NOW