Spurious pesticides could lead to loss of 10.6 m.t. of food produce

The use of sub-standard and spurious pesticides could lead to a loss of 10.6 million tonnes (mt) of food produce this year in India, according to a Ficci study conducted in association with the Tata Strategic Management Group.

Titled ‘Study on Sub-standard, Spurious/Counterfeit Pesticides in India’ and released here on Wednesday, the report that the proportion of counterfeit pesticides could be as high as 40 per cent by 2019.

At present, the Indian crop protection industry is estimated to be worth Rs.25,000 crore of which Rs.3,200 crore, about 13 per cent, is believed to comprise of non-genuine pesticides. A substantial amount of exports are undertaken by manufacturers.

“It is a major problematic area with serious implications for the farmers and Indian agriculture, society and economy at large. These products not only fail to take care of pests but also inflict damage on crops and the environment,” JS Sandhu, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agriculture Research, is quoted as saying.

The study estimates that the loss is growing to the extent of 20 per cent every year with Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana and West Bengal being the worst-affected States.

Illegal pesticides can lower yields by 4 per cent, it says, and render soil degraded for cultivation of succeeding crops during the annual cycle of two seasons.

Ground and surface water contamination is caused by heavy metals and toxic chemicals that impacts local fauna and flora, besides the impact on human health.

“Only one-third of farmers are aware of the use of pesticides and don’t exactly know what to spray in their fields…hence, most can’t make out the authenticity of the pesticides they are buying,” the study says.

It states that the dependence on commission agents (adhtiyas) who typically run seed and pesticide retail shops is a source of the problem. They extend credit through written-slips to farmers who then must buy from the particular agent.

“Our study indicates that 50 to 60 per cent of farmers purchase pesticides on credit. Therefore, it is not in their interest to refuse the product which is offered by these agents /retailers who often refuse to provide credit on branded products,” it says.

Recommendations forwarded include farmers demanding a receipt, weighing the package and maintaining a record of the crop care materials used, while the village community could identify authorised retailers.

It urged companies to improve outreach programmes through the radio, organise awareness camps, and also keep a track of retailers for whom a database should be maintained.

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