Lok Sabha Question No. 1035 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Sale of Spurious Insecticides/ Fertilizers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: A.T. (NANA) PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1035

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  NOVEMBER, 2016

## SALE OF SPURIOUS INSECTICIDES/ FERTILIZERS

## 1035.     SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  rampant  availability  and  sale  of  spurious insecticides  and fertilizers  in  the  country  resulting  in  heavy  losses  to  farmers  in  terms  of  low production and damage to crops;
- (b) if  so,  the  total  number  of  samples  of  insecticides  and  fertilizers  collected  that  failed quality tests during the last three years, year and State-wise including Maharashtra; and
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  the  production  and  sale  of  spurious insecticides and fertilizers in the country to save the farmers from incurring heavy losses?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): Yes, Madam. Government from time to time receives  complaints about sale and stock of spurious insecticides and fertilizers.
- (b): Details  regarding  drawl  of  samples  of  pesticides  found  misbranded  and  prosecution launched in the states/UTs in the last three years are enclosed at Annexure-I. Further, samples of  pesticides  drawn,  found  misbranded  and  prosecution  launched  by  Insecticide  Inspectors notified  by  Central  Govt.  in  the  last  three  years  is  enclosed  at  Annexure-II.  The  details  of samples of fertilizers analysed and declared non-standard during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 201516 are at Annexures-III, IV and V.
- (c): In order to control sale of spurious pesticides, a task force, has been created in TechnoLegal  Cell  of  Directorate  of  Plant,  Protection,  Quarantine  and  Storage,  Faridabad.  The  task force  conducts  raids/  inspection  throughout  the  country  on  specific  complaints  received  from various sources. At present, 168 officers of Directorate have been notified as Central Insecticide Inspectors and have been instructed to draw samples of chemical pesticides and Bio-products/ Bio-pesticides  from  various  states  of  the  country  from  their  allotted  areas.  Raids  have  been conducted  in  the  manufacturing  premises  and  market  located  in  various  states  to  check  the veracity of the complaints and drawl of pesticides samples for checking their quality.

In addition to this, 11,099 Inspectors have also been notified by the State Govts. to check the quality of pesticides,  distributed/sold to the farmers. Action against those firms/individuals are taken as per the provisions of The Insecticides Act., 1968 and Rules framed thereunder, which are found to be involved in manufacturing / selling of substandard/spurious pesticides.

With  regard  to  fertilizers,  Fertilizer  (Control)  Order,  1985  has  been  promulgated  to regulate the trade, price, quality and distribution of fertilizers.  The FCO is issued under the section 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Specifications of fertilizers are prescribed in the said Order.  Under clause 19 FCO, no person shall manufacture, sell, sale, offer for sale or  distribute  any  fertiliser  which  is  not  of  prescribed  standard.    State  Governments  are adequately empowered under the Fertiliser (Control) Order/Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to take appropriate administrative and legal action against those dealers/manufacturers/importers  who  do  not  comply  with  the  provisions  prescribed  in  the Order. There are 78 fertilizer testing laboratories in the country.

Samples  of  fertilizers  are  drawn  periodically  by  the  fertilizer  inspectors  of  the  State Governments from retailers/wholesalers and manufacturing units etc.  for testing in the notified laboratories to check their quality in respect of the quality parameters prescribed in the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985.

## STATEMENT SHOWING STATISTICS OF THE ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDES SAMPLES FOR QUALITY

## CONTROL IN STATE PESTICIDES TESTING

## LABORATORIES (SPTLs) DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS

| S.No.   | State/UT            | 2013-14 No. o Samples   | 2013-14 No. o Samples   | 2013-14 No. o Samples   | 2014-15 No. of Samples   | 2014-15 No. of Samples   | 2014-15 No. of Samples   | 2015-16 No. of Samples   | 2015-16 No. of Samples   | 2015-16 No. of Samples   |
|---------|---------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|         |                     | Analysed                | Misbranded              | Prosection Launched     | Analysed                 | Misbranded               | Prosection Launched      | Analysed                 | Misbranded               | Prosection Launched      |
| 1.      | Andhra Pradesh      | 5263                    | 57                      | 35                      | 5196                     | 65                       | 20                       | 5194                     | 47                       | NM                       |
| 2.      | Arunachal Pradesh   | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 3.      | Andman &Nicobar     | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 4.      | Assam               | 25                      | -                       | -                       | 20                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 5.      | Bihar               | 553                     | 34                      | NM*                     | 681                      | 14                       | NM                       | 703                      | 28                       | NM                       |
| 6.      | Chandigarh          | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | --                       |                          |                          |                          |                          |
| 7.      | Chhattisgarh        | 157                     | 22                      | 16                      | 170                      | 35                       | -                        | 100                      | 06                       | NM                       |
| 8.      | Daman &Diu          | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 9.      | Dadar &Nagar Haveli | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 10.     | Delhi               | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 11.     | Goa                 | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 12.     | Gujarat             | 3419                    | 155                     | 73                      | 3387                     | 119                      | 57                       | 3347                     | 95                       | 50                       |
| 13.     | Haryana             | 2996                    | 156                     | 60                      | 2764                     | 64                       | 01                       | 1253*                    | 30                       | -                        |
| 14.     | Himachal Pradesh    | 278                     | -                       | -                       | 226                      | -                        | -                        | 307                      | -                        | -                        |
| 15.     | Jammu &Kashmir      | 698                     | 47                      | 65                      | 979                      | 57                       | NM                       | 300                      | 20                       | 10                       |
| 16.     | Jharkhand           | -                       | -                       | NM                      | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 17.     | Karnataka           | 4956                    | 31                      | 13                      | 3837                     | 53                       | 24                       | 3358                     | 36                       | 02                       |
| 18.     | Kerala              | 1060                    | 4                       | NM                      | 359                      | 0                        |                          | 443*                     | -                        | -                        |
| 19.     | Lakshadweep         | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 20.     | Madhya Pradesh      | 1051                    | 45                      | NM                      | 791                      | 125                      | 01                       | 1038                     | 148                      | 02                       |
| 21.     | Maharashtra         | 6030                    | 282                     | 68                      | 5739                     | 316                      | 105                      | 6089                     | 407                      | NM                       |
| 22.     | Manipur             | -                       | -                       | -                       | 45                       | 0                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 23.     | Meghalaya           | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 24.     | Mizoram             | -                       | -                       | -                       | 03                       | 0                        |                          | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 25.     | Nagaland            | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 26.     | Orissa              | 449                     | 4                       | NM                      | 423                      | 04                       | -                        | 529                      | 16                       | NM                       |
| 27.     | Pondicherry         | 358                     | -                       | -                       | 368                      | -                        | -                        | 128*                     | 0                        | -                        |
| 28.     | Punjab              | 4068                    | 100                     | 57                      | 2852                     | 78                       | 27                       | 4052                     | 147                      | 40                       |
| 29.     | Rajasthan           | 2203                    | 78                      | 35                      | 2556                     | 53                       | 29                       | 3374                     | 91                       | 35                       |
| 30.     | Sikkim              | -                       | -                       | -                       | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 31.     | Tamil Nadu          | 21572                   | 62                      | 28                      | 22289                    | 86                       | 47                       | 21905                    | 215                      | 40                       |
| 32.     | Telangana           | 3547                    | 26                      | 03                      | 3523                     | 26                       | 24                       | 3380                     | 17                       | -                        |
| 33.     | Tripura             | 37                      | 06                      | -                       | 43                       | 02                       | NM                       | 26                       | -                        | NM                       |
| 34.     | Uttarakhand         | 122                     | 1                       | 1                       | 119                      | 1                        | 1                        | 129                      | 1                        | NM                       |
| 35.     | Uttar Pradesh       | 5403                    | 366                     | 355                     | 6109                     | 359                      | 305                      | 6452                     | 355                      | 141                      |

Annexure-I

|   36. | West Bengal   |   633 |    3 |   NM |   510 |    2 |   - |   681 |    2 |   - |
|-------|---------------|-------|------|------|-------|------|-----|-------|------|-----|
|    37 | Total         | 64878 | 1479 |  809 | 62989 | 1459 | 641 | 62781 | 1661 | 320 |

NM -not mentioned in the booklet provided by the states in zonal conference for Rabi 2016-17

## * Information only upto Dec., 2015, as booklet has not been provided by the state during Zonal conference on Rabi, 2016

## Annexure-II

## Statement showing number of sample drawn by Central Insecticide Inspectors, samples found misbranded, and status of prosecution launched during last 03 years

| S. No.   | Year    | No. of Sample drawn   | No. of samples found misbranded   |   No. of Prosecution launched | Remarks                                                                                                                             |
|----------|---------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | 2013-14 | 123                   | 16                                |                            15 | Launching of prosecution in progress - 01                                                                                           |
|          |         |                       | 15 (illegal import)               |                            09 | Accused convicted- 02 Launching of prosecution in progress - 6                                                                      |
| 2.       | 2014-15 | 618                   | 41                                |                            21 | Accused convicted- 06 Launching of prosecution in progress - 20                                                                     |
| 3.       | 2015-16 | 486                   | 44                                |                            02 | Accused convicted- 02 Showcause notice issued - 14 Retesting in CIL-13 Consent awaited-16 Launching of prosecution in progress - 11 |

## ANNEXURE-III

## STATEWISE NUMBER OF FERTILISER SAMPLES ANALYSED AND FOUND NON-STANDARD DURING 2013-14

| S.No.   | Name of State    | No. of Labs.   | No. of samples   | No. of Samples declared Non- Standard   | No. of Samples declared Non- Standard   |       | %Samples Non-standard   |
|---------|------------------|----------------|------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-------|-------------------------|
|         |                  |                | Analysed         | Nutrient deficient                      | Physical parameter & impurities         | Total |                         |
| 1       | Assam            | 1              | 324              | 11                                      | 0                                       | 11    | 3.4                     |
| 2       | Mizoram          | 1              | 1                | 0                                       | 0                                       | 0     | 0.0                     |
| 3       | Jharkhand        | 1              | 723              | 17                                      | 12                                      | 29    | 4.0                     |
| 4       | Bihar            | 1              | 2080             | 64                                      | 0                                       | 64    | 3.1                     |
| 5       | Odisha           | 3              | 3398             | 234                                     | 7                                       | 241   | 7.1                     |
| 6       | West Bengal      | 3              | 2387             | 253                                     | 0                                       | 253   | 10.6                    |
|         | Total East & NER | 10             | 8913             | 579                                     | 19                                      | 598   | 6.7                     |
| 7       | Gujarat          | 3              | 14623            | 134                                     | 25                                      | 159   | 1.1                     |
| 8       | M.P.             | 4              | 6671             | 857                                     | 20                                      | 877   | 13.1                    |
| 9       | Chhatisgarh      | 1              | 2171             | 112                                     | 5                                       | 117   | 5.4                     |
| 10      | Maharashtra      | 5              | 17422            | 1889                                    | 831                                     | 2720  | 15.6                    |
| 11      | Rajasthan        | 4              | 14051            | 100                                     | 17                                      | 117   | 0.8                     |
|         | Total West Zone  | 17             | 54938            | 3092                                    | 898                                     | 3990  | 7.3                     |
| 12      | Haryana          | 3              | 3901             | 42                                      | 34                                      | 76    | 1.9                     |
| 13      | H.P.             | 3              | 1673             | 42                                      | 1                                       | 43    | 2.6                     |
| 14      | J&K              | 2              | 2127             | 5                                       | 2                                       | 7     | 0.3                     |
| 15      | Punjab           | 3              | 3576             | 94                                      | 0                                       | 94    | 2.6                     |
| 16      | U.P.             | 5              | 10848            | 722                                     | 0                                       | 722   | 6.7                     |
| 17      | Uttarakhand      | 2              | 261              | 22                                      | 10                                      | 32    | 12.3                    |
|         | Total North Zone | 18             | 22386            | 927                                     | 47                                      | 974   | 4.4                     |
| 18      | A.P.             | 5              | 15238            | 477                                     | 7                                       | 484   | 3.2                     |
| 19      | Karnataka        | 7              | 10423            | 257                                     | 10                                      | 267   | 2.6                     |
| 20      | Kerala           | 2              | 2463             | 102                                     | 0                                       | 102   | 4.1                     |
| 21      | Puducherry       | 1              | 467              | 5                                       | 0                                       | 5     | 1.1                     |
| 22      | Tamil Nadu       | 14             | 17899            | 583                                     | 78                                      | 661   | 3.7                     |
|         | Total South Zone | 29             | 46490            | 1424                                    | 95                                      | 1519  | 3.3                     |
| 23      | Govt. Of India   | 4              | 6234             | 323                                     | 92                                      | 415   | 6.7                     |
|         | Total All India  | 78             | 138961           | 6345                                    | 1151                                    | 7496  | 5.4                     |

## STATEWISE NUMBER OF FERTILISER SAMPLES ANALYSED AND FOUND NON-STANDARD DURING 2014-15

| S.No.   | Name of State    | No. of Labs.   | No. of samples   | No. of Samples declared Non-Standard   | No. of Samples declared Non-Standard   | No. of Samples declared Non-Standard   | %Samples Non-standard   |
|---------|------------------|----------------|------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------------|
|         |                  |                | Analysed         | Nutrient deficient                     | Physical parameter & impurities        | Total                                  |                         |
| 1       | Assam            | 1              | 334              | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0.0                     |
| 2       | Mizoram          | 1              | 2                | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0.0                     |
| 3       | Jharkhand        | 1              | 842              | 13                                     | 0                                      | 13                                     | 1.5                     |
| 4       | Bihar            | 1              | 2632             | 101                                    | 0                                      | 101                                    | 3.8                     |
| 5       | Odisha           | 4              | 4533             | 183                                    | 58                                     | 241                                    | 5.3                     |
| 6       | West Bengal      | 3              | 2672             | 283                                    | 0                                      | 283                                    | 10.6                    |
|         | Total East & NER | 11             | 11015            | 580                                    | 58                                     | 638                                    | 5.8                     |
| 7       | Gujarat          | 3              | 11812            | 87                                     | 19                                     | 106                                    | 0.9                     |
| 8       | M.P.             | 4              | 6098             | 762                                    | 9                                      | 771                                    | 12.6                    |
| 9       | Chhatisgarh      | 1              | 2085             | 146                                    | 25                                     | 171                                    | 8.2                     |
| 10      | Maharashtra      | 5              | 17117            | 1422                                   | 835                                    | 2257                                   | 13.2                    |
| 11      | Rajasthan        | 4              | 13477            | 104                                    | 24                                     | 128                                    | 0.9                     |
|         | Total West Zone  | 17             | 50589            | 2521                                   | 912                                    | 3433                                   | 6.8                     |
| 12      | Haryana          | 3              | 3733             | 65                                     | 1                                      | 66                                     | 1.8                     |
| 13      | H.P.             | 3              | 1817             | 10                                     | 3                                      | 13                                     | 0.7                     |
| 14      | J&K              | 2              | 1432             | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0.0                     |
| 15      | Punjab           | 3              | 3610             | 87                                     | 7                                      | 94                                     | 2.6                     |
| 16      | U.P.             | 5              | 13186            | 919                                    | 0                                      | 919                                    | 7.0                     |
| 17      | Uttarakhand      | 2              | 311              | 25                                     | 0                                      | 25                                     | 8.0                     |
|         | Total North Zone | 18             | 24089            | 1106                                   | 11                                     | 1117                                   | 4.6                     |
| 18      | A.P.             | 3              | 9621             | 164                                    | 5                                      | 169                                    | 1.8                     |
| 19      | Telangana        | 2              | 6423             | 140                                    | 5                                      | 145                                    | 2.3                     |
| 20      | Karnataka        | 7              | 9159             | 231                                    | 14                                     | 245                                    | 2.7                     |
| 21      | Kerala           | 2              | 2692             | 132                                    | 0                                      | 132                                    | 4.9                     |
| 22      | Puducherry       | 1              | 546              | 3                                      | 3                                      | 6                                      | 1.1                     |
| 23      | Tamil Nadu       | 14             | 18551            | 552                                    | 203                                    | 755                                    | 4.1                     |
|         | Total South Zone | 29             | 46992            | 1222                                   | 230                                    | 1452                                   | 3.1                     |
| 24      | Govt. Of India   | 4              | 2837             | 192                                    | 18                                     | 210                                    | 7.4                     |
|         | Total All India  | 78             | 135522           | 5621                                   | 1229                                   | 6850                                   | 5.0                     |

## ANNEXURE-IV

## STATEWISE NUMBER OF FERTILISER SAMPLES ANALYSED AND FOUND NON-STANDARD DURING 2015-16

| S.No.   | Name of State    | No. of Labs.   | No. of samples   | No. of Samples declared Non-Standard   | No. of Samples declared Non-Standard   | No. of Samples declared Non-Standard   | %Samples Non- standard   |
|---------|------------------|----------------|------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|         |                  |                | Analysed         | Nutrient deficient                     | Physical parameter & impurities        | Total                                  |                          |
| 1       | Assam            | 1              | 339              | 3                                      | 0                                      | 3                                      | 0.9                      |
| 2       | Mizoram          | 1              | 0                | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0.0                      |
| 3       | Jharkhand        | 1              | 519              | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0.0                      |
| 4       | Bihar            | 1              | 3418             | 167                                    | 0                                      | 167                                    | 4.9                      |
| 5       | Odisha           | 4              | 6418             | 138                                    | 106                                    | 244                                    | 3.8                      |
| 6       | West Bengal      | 3              | 1490             | 173                                    | 1                                      | 174                                    | 11.7                     |
|         | Total East & NER | 11             | 12184            | 481                                    | 107                                    | 588                                    | 4.8                      |
| 7       | Gujarat          | 3              | 11333            | 110                                    | 20                                     | 130                                    | 1.1                      |
| 8       | Maharashtra      | 5              | 16662            | 1478                                   | 734                                    | 2212                                   | 13.3                     |
| 9       | Rajasthan        | 7              | 14415            | 140                                    | 25                                     | 165                                    | 1.1                      |
|         | Total West Zone  | 15             | 42410            | 1728                                   | 779                                    | 2507                                   | 5.9                      |
| 10      | H.P.             | 3              | 1863             | 59                                     | 3                                      | 62                                     | 3.3                      |
| 11      | J&K              | 1              | 74               | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0                                      | 0.0                      |
| 12      | U.P.             | 5              | 10324            | 529                                    | 0                                      | 919                                    | 8.9                      |
| 13      | Uttarakhand      | 2              | 258              | 10                                     | 0                                      | 10                                     | 3.9                      |
|         | Total North Zone | 11             | 12519            | 598                                    | 3                                      | 991                                    | 7.9                      |
| 14      | A.P.             | 3              | 10446            | 112                                    | 4                                      | 116                                    | 1.1                      |
| 15      | Telangana        | 2              | 6855             | 58                                     | 8                                      | 66                                     | 1.0                      |
| 16      | Puducherry       | 1              | 467              | 1                                      | 0                                      | 1                                      | 0.2                      |
|         | Total South Zone | 6              | 17768            | 171                                    | 12                                     | 183                                    | 1.0                      |
| 17      | Govt. Of India   | 4              | 3146             | 239                                    | 9                                      | 248                                    | 7.9                      |
|         | Total All India  | 78             | 88027            | 3217                                   | 910                                    | 4517                                   | 5.1                      |

******

## Annexure-V