Govt For Regulation, Not Control Of Pesticide Sector : Ajit Singh

Agriculture minister Ajit Singh has said the government wanted to regulate, and not control, the pesticides industry. The Insecticides Act, 1968, which governed the pesticides industry would be suitably amended for this purpose.

Addressing the annual session of the Pesticides Association of India (PAI) here today, he said the industry should educate the farmers about the safe and judicious use of pesticides. The government did not have enough resources and the required extension machinery to do this effectively.

Referring to the biotechnology which is being used now to produce pest resistant crop varieties, he said the government did not favour a blanket ban on the genetically modified crops but wanted to take enough precautions before allowing their cultivation in the country.

He said the World Trade Organisation (WTO) had made certain provisions that hurt the interests of the farmers in the developing countries. While the rich nations were raising their subsidies to the farmers, India had been trying to protect its farmers through increased import duties.

However, since import duties might also come up for review at the next round of the WTO talks, other means of protection to the farm sector needed to be explored. He advised the farmers to increase productivity and improve the quality of the produce to sustain themselves in a situation where the farm size was gradually shrinking.

The use of pesticides helped prevent crop damage due to insects and diseases which could take a toll of up to 30 per cent of the potential production. India was exporting pesticides worth about Rs 1,600 crore annually, he said.