Tiwari opposes move to ban 27 pesticides

Nagpur: Kishore Tiwari, chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM), the state government task force on farm distress, has opposed the Centre’s move to ban 27 pesticides. The order is in draft stage at present.
The government is banning the chemicals on the grounds that enough scientific data has not been submitted for these products. One of the chemicals to be banned is monocrotophos—which was seen to be largely used by the farmers who died of pesticide inhalation in 2017.
On this, Tiwari said the accidents were controlled to a considerable extent in subsequent years by promoting right spraying practices. He said, “The 27 pesticides constitute about 20% of the domestic pesticide market. The ban will be affecting the farmers adversely. The chemicals are being safely used in the country.”
The pesticides cost Rs 180 to 250 per acre of spraying. After the ban, the farmers will have to go for imported substitutes which cost as much Rs 5,000 per acre, said Tiwari. For some substitutes, the number of sprays will have to be increased, he said.
Tiwari told TOI the move will ultimately help foreign companies at the cost of domestic industry. He said the domestic industry has claimed most of the required data has been submitted.
Twenty four of the 27 pesticides have been registered in US, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Brazil and other Asian and African countries, said a press release issued by Tiwari.
Tiwari’s statement comes after the letter sent by the secretary (ministry of chemical and fertilisers) R K Chaturvedi on this matter to his counterpart in the ministry of agriculture.
Chaturvedi also opposed the move to ban the pesticides. The letter said the pesticides have been registered by the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) after submission of all the requisite data. Once registered, a pesticide is supposed to meet all the requirement of bio-efficacy, toxicity and risk management to human and animal life.
Amid the current struggle by the farmers due to the pandemic and locust attack it may not be an appropriate step to ban the pesticides, said the letter by Chaturvedi.