PEST MENACE

Recent findings concerning huge amount of losses due to pests & diseases have alarmed analysts of Agri-sector According to a survey done by Crop care foundation of India, the country is losing agri-production worth Rs 1.48 lakh crore due to damage from weeds,pests & plant diseases This works out to almost 10-30% of the farm production Actually plant protection chemicals are being used only in 20% of cultivated area which is resulting in farmers losing their investment in seeds, irrigation & labour The per hectare use of pesticides is far low in comparison to developed countries India has less than 200 registered plant protection molecules which is lower than countries like Pakistan & vietnam According to a rough estimate the cost benefit raio of pesticide use is at 1;5 ,that is from the current consumption of chemicals ( which is 4000crore) if we raise it to 10000crore then the production would go up to 30000crore annually So the time has come for the government to reorient policies which would encourage use of environmentally friendly new generation pesticides and come hard on sale of spurious pesticides which is ruling roost in our villages Utmost importance should be given to safer and newer molecules as International food market has become very sensitive to the overuse of pesticides So the mantra is increase use of safer pesticides according to international norms & increase food productivity- production