Question : Pesticide Resistant Pests

(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?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(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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