Limiting Antibiotics Use In Crops

Limiting Antibiotics Use In Crops

Subject – Environment

Context – The registration committee (RC) under the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) August 2021 approved the recommendation for phasing out the use of streptomycin and tetracycline, according to the availability of alternatives.

Concept –

• The registration committee (RC) under the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) August 2021 approved the recommendation for phasing out the use of streptomycin and tetracycline, according to the availability of alternatives.
• Streptomycin is a critically important antimicrobial while tetracycline belongs to the class of highly important antimicrobials, according to the World Health Organization.
• The decision comes amid concerns over antimicrobial resistance observed in various crops, particularly to streptomycin, which is used in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) which now co exists with HIV infection, and to tetracycline antibiotics, which find application in treatment of various kind of bacterial infections.
  • CSE had also highlighted the role of streptomycin in treatment of previously treated TB patients, multidrug-resistant TB and some cases of TB meningitis (brain TB).
• The RC further directed the Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level (MPRNL) project to conduct studies on maximum residue limit (MRL) to generate data on major crops in which label claim for antibiotics is available.
  • The guideline also urged CIBRC to take up the matter related to fixation of MRL fixation with FSSAI.
• The above developments follow prior developments made in May 2020, when the RC had accepted the recommendation that use of streptomycin + tetracycline should be completely banned with immediate effect on those crops where alternatives are available.
• Where no alternatives are available, it will be used only on crops strictly following the label claim and should be phased out by the end of 2022. The diseases can also be managed by using integrated pest management and other practices.
• In a subsequent meeting in February 2021, the RC had also noted that the use of streptomycin and tetracycline is approved only on eight crops so far — apple, bean, citrus, potato, tobacco, tomato, paddy and tea — against various diseases. But alternatives of streptomycin and tetracycline are very limited and available only for three crops.