Lok Sabha Question No. 113 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-11
Subject: Pesticide Resistant Pests
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 113

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## PESTICIDE  RESISTANT  PESTS

## 113. SHRI KESINENI NANI:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that cases of new  insecticide/pesticide  resistant  pests have  gone  up  in various  States  of  the country including Andhra Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  incidence  of  sale  of pesticides  with  banned  chemicals  and herbicide-tolerant cotton seeds have been reported  from  different  parts  of  the country, if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (c) the likely impact of such pesticides and seeds on crops and health of farmers;
- (d) whether World Health Organisation has  revealed  in  their  studies  that  use  of weedicide 'Glyphosate' has the potential to cause cancer among human beings, if so, whether the Government is considering to phase  out  this  weedicide  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to    educate    the    farmers    about    judicious  use    of pesticides  and  insecticides  in cultivation?

## 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): As  per  the  information  received  from  the  Andhra  Pradesh  Agriculture  Department,  no such cases of new insecticide/pesticide resistant pests have been reported in the State.
- (b) & (c): No specific information with respect to sale of pesticides with banned chemicals is available with Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC).   None of the State  Government  has  reported  about  the  sale  of  banned  Herbicide  Tolerant  Cotton  Seeds, since 2008. Only States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra have reported traces of unapproved Herbicide Tolerant (HT) cotton in some of the farmer's field during 2017-18.
- (d): As per the information available on Rotterdam Convention (UNEP) website, Glyphosate is not banned in any country. Further, the Anupam Verma Committee constituted by the Ministry of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  did  not  review  this  chemical  for  its  continued  use  or otherwise in the country because this pesticide was not banned in any other country.
- (e): The  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing 'Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach' (SMPMA) Scheme, wherein, inter alia, Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) are organized to sensitize farmers on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach and to use chemical pesticides as a last resort as per approved labels and leaflets. In addition, States have been requested in the Zonal Conferences to exhort their extension functionaries to sensitize farmers on application of pesticides as per approved labels and leaflets.

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