Steps to prevent losses due to pest attacks

Lok Sabha

It has been estimated that crop losses due to pests including insect pests, diseases, rodents and weeds range between 10 to 30% every year depending on climatic and environmental conditions and severity of attack.

Under the scheme titled “Strengthening & Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India” Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been adopted as main plank of plant protection strategy to save the crops from pest attacks. The Government of India has established 31 Central IPM Centres in 28 States and one Union Territory. The mandate of these Centres is pest/disease monitoring, production and release of bio-control agents/bio-pesticides, conservation of bio-control agents and human resource development in IPM by imparting training to agriculture/horticulture extension officers and farmers at grass root level by organizing Farmers’ Field Schools (FFSs).

IPM package of practices for pest/disease management in 77 major crops have been developed in collaboration with State Department of Agriculture/Horticulture/ICAR Institutions/State Agriculture Universities which have been circulated to all States/UTs and have been posted on website www.dacnet.nic.in/ppin for use by the extension functionaries and the farmers.

This information was given in Lok Sabha today by Prof. K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in a written reply.

MP/MR/CP: pest(14.7.2009)