Decision on pesticide ban likely this week
- April 5, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Decision on pesticide ban likely this week
Subject: Agriculture
Section: Pesticides
Context: Union Agriculture Ministry is likely to consider this week the expert panel’s recommendations on the proposed ban on 27 pesticides.
Background:
- The long-pending ban on 27 widely-used pesticides, which includes 12 insecticides, 8 fungicides and 7 herbicides, is poised to take final shape soon, with the Centre having already issued a draft order banning the manufacturing and sale of these on grounds of the grave risk they pose to humans and animals.
- Ministry set up an expert committee under TP Rajendran, a former assistant director general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), to consider the objections and suggestions taking into consideration all aspects related to safety, toxicity, efficacy, updated status of submission of required study and data, technical and scientific requirements, availability of safer substitutes, farmers interests and ban status in other countries.
- The committee submitted its report in November 2021
Pesticide usage in India:
- India is the 2nd largest pesticide manufacturer in the world. It is the 5th largest exporter after China, USA, Germany and France.
- However India accounts only for 1% of the global pesticide consumption. Though the ‘per hectare usage’ is relatively low compared to rest of the countries, indiscriminate use (in terms of quantity and timing) is still an issue.
Items covered under draft notification:
- The draft notification, titled ‘Banning of Insecticides Order 2020’, prohibits the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of 27 pesticides, including Acephate, Atrazine, Benfuracarb, Butachlor, Captan, Carbofuran, Chlorpyriphos, 2,4-D, Deltamethrin and others.
- It also proposes to ban the chemical Malathion that was used extensively by the government during the recent locust attack.
- Out of the 27 pesticides which are proposed to be banned three are Monocrotophos, Methomyl and Carbofuran which are associated with high levels of toxicity leading to even farmers’ deaths.
On which crops are these 27 pesticides mainly used?
- According to Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), these pesticides are used on almost all crops — rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, cotton, oilseeds, various vegetables, fruit etc.
What are the alternatives available to farmers?
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, which are using cost-effective mechanical methods
- Bio-pesticides
- Newer molecular target-specific low toxicity pesticides, usage of which is extremely low, and which are a little more expensive
- Pheromone traps, which are quite economical, are meant for mating disruption, for suppression of pest population, and mass trapping. Such traps slowly release synthetic attractants which help in the detection of a single species of insect in the fields.
- Neem-based biopesticides, which are environment-friendly, is very effective cost-wise and yield-wise. It’s bitter taste keeps pests away from plants.
- Moreover, the right kind of seeds and precise irrigation can also help farmers keep the pests away.