Lok Sabha Question No. 1482 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Sale of Pesticides with Banned Chemicals
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1482

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## SALE OF PESTICIDES WITH BANNED CHEMICALS

1482.  SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

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

- (a): whether incidents of sale of pesticides with banned chemicals and herbicide-tolerant cotton seeds have been reported from different parts of the country;
- (b): if  so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto along with the likely impact of such pesticides and seeds on crops and health of farmers; and
- (c): the  action  being  taken  by  the  Government  thereon  and  to  check  their  sale  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (c): State  Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Uttarakhand, Punjab,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Chhattisgarh,  Jharkhand,  Kerala,  Odisha,  Goa,  Meghalaya, Mizoram and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar have reported that, no incident of sale  of  pesticides  with  banned  chemicals  and  herbicide-tolerant  cotton  seeds  have  been reported  in  their  States  and  UT.  Maharashtra,  Gujarat  and  Telangana  have  reported  no incidences of sale of pesticides with banned chemicals; however, some incidences of sale of herbicide-tolerant (HT) cotton seeds have been reported in these States.

State Government of Maharashtra has reported that Herbicide Tolerant Cotton Seeds (HTBT) has  been  seized  in  various  districts  of  Maharashtra  during  2020-21.  Total  12148 packets and 1293 Kg. loose seeds worth Rs. 114.69 lakh has been seized in Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Dhule, Beed, Jalna, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Amravati, Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts and 40 FIRs have been lodged against culprits.

State  Government  of  Gujarat  has  reported  that,  total  5  cases  of  illegal  sales  of  HT Cotton crop were reported during 2019-20 in 4 districts of the State and in all cases, FIRs were registered against accused.

Contd….2/-

- 2 -

Government  of  Telangana  has  reported  that  during  2019  and  2020,  no  samples drawn from dealer premises have been found positive. However, the spurious cotton seeds sourced from other areas which make entry into the State particularly in boarder districts i.e. Adilabad, Mancherial & Asifabad are being checked effectively and the Police Department is arresting the offenders who are in the chain of such spurious seeds circulation. IPC sections are being applied in such cases.

As there are no incidences of sale of pesticides with banned chemicals, the question of its impact on crops and health of the farmers does not arise. However, as far as the HT cotton seeds are concerned, they are not approved for use in the country.

In  addition  to  the  punitive  actions  mentioned  above,  the  State  Governments  have alerted the quality control inspectors and district authorities to be vigilant to the illegal sale of HT  cotton  seeds  duly  taking  samples  in  all  cases  of  suspicion  and  taking  consequential action in cases of mischief. Time and again farmers are being educated extensively not to use HT Cotton seeds by the concerned State Governments.

In addition, to check the sale of HT cotton seeds, an Inter-Ministerial Field Inspection and Scientific Evaluation Committee (FISEC) had been constituted for on-the-spot inspection of the cotton fields to assess the veracity of spread of unapproved HT cotton in the country, to confirm the presence of gene(s), strategies and measures to contain it. The FISEC has suggested strategies for immediate action, short term action and medium term action  to  control  and  curb  the  spread  of  HT  cotton.  As  a  follow  up  step,  Department  of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare has issued advisory to all cotton growing states urging them to take all the necessary steps to check the sale and cultivation of unapproved HT cotton.

*****