1.2 million kilos of pesticides are imported in a year

Not only the state, but also the federal government has been mentioning in the budget to encourage organic farming. This issue has also been mentioned in the budget statement for the financial year 081/82. It has been said, 'Production and use of organic and natural fertilizers will be promoted. The use of chemical pesticides will be discouraged and the use of biological pesticides will be promoted.'

Even though the Union Government and the states are discouraging the use of pesticides, the import of pesticides used in vegetables, fruits, food grains, etc. from countries including India has increased year by year. The Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center has said that the import of pesticides has doubled in a period of 6 years. According to the center's data, 635,721 kg of pesticides were imported in the financial year 074/75. In 079/80, the import quantity has increased to 11 lakh 83 thousand 741 kg.

In the last financial year alone, pesticides worth 1 billion 69 crore 63 lakh rupees have been imported. This amount is of the quantity legally imported. Because of the open border between Nepal and India, there is an open entry of pesticides. "Taking advantage of this, common people bring bicycles, motorcycles and so on," said an official of the center, "but who will regulate it?"

The former head of the center, Sahdev Humgai, says that the import and use of pesticides is increasing due to the increase in diseases. 3/4 years ago it was enough to use 1/2 pesticide on crops, now 4/5 pesticides should be used. The resistance of insects is also increasing due to pesticides,' Humagarin said, 'that's why imports seem to have increased.'

Apart from this, the commercial farming system has also increased in the country. As vehicles have reached the high mountains, the demand for pesticides has also increased in the mountains. Humagai says that this is the reason why the import has increased. New diseases have appeared in many crops. But the focus on pest management and study/research was not enough," he said. "The easiest solution was to import pesticides. Pesticide consumption is increasing, diseases are also increasing.

7 types of pesticides are mainly imported in the country. According to the center, these pesticides are insecticides, fungicides, bactericides, weed killers, insecticides, rodenticides and biological pesticides. There are hundreds of pesticides under it.

350 companies have been registered at the center to import pesticides. There are more than 19 thousand distributors. Through this distributor, the pesticide has reached the farmer's field through Agrovet. But farmers do not have enough knowledge about the method of application. Pesticides used indiscriminately on vegetables, fruits and food have reached the kitchen of consumers.

Looking at the data of the last 6 years, the import of all pesticides except antibacterial and biological has increased. In 074/75, 169 thousand 360 kg of pesticides were imported. In 079/80, the import of pesticides increased to 354 thousand 358 kg. The import situation of pesticides is also the same. In 074/75, 347 thousand 707 kg of insecticides were imported and increased to 516 thousand 549 kg in 079/80.

Uddhav Adhikari, the coordinator of the agricultural campaign for food, said that since the government's technicians could not reach the farmer level, the farmers and the consumers are consuming poison. Diseases are also more common. That is why the import of pesticides has increased," he said, "but the farmers do not know how much and how much pesticides to apply. The recommending government employee is not at the community level. The Center says that 1 lakh 5 thousand 445 kg of herbicides were imported in

074/75. In 079/80, the import has increased to 286 thousand 182 kg. "Looking at the situation of import and use of pesticides, it looks terrible. There are pesticides in vegetables and fruits produced in India and in the country. But not all pesticides are tested," said Dilli Sharma, former Director General of Agriculture Department, "Farmers do not have knowledge about the method of pesticide application. Looking at the situation of import and market, the risk of life of consumers is increasing along with farmers.'

Inadequate safe use and management of pesticides harms users, community members, pets, wildlife, beneficial insects, and consumers. It also damages biodiversity and the environment. Causes cancer and heart disease in users and consumers. But Sharma says that the government has not paid attention to that.

According to the center, 12 thousand 77 kg of rodenticides were imported in 074/75. In 079/80, the import increased to 26 thousand 500 kg. In 079/80, 120 kg of insecticides have been imported. This pesticide was not imported in the past. The import quantity of biological pesticides and bactericides has decreased. Imports of bactericidal pesticides decreased from 6.7 kg in 074/75 to 1.8 kg in 079/80. In 074/75, 1 thousand 125 kg of biological pesticides were imported and 29.19 kg were imported in 079/80.

With the increase in commercialization, even though the import of pesticides increased, no attention was paid to its management, said Sharma, who was also the former head of the center. The first responsibility is the local body. It also belongs to Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Agriculture Department and Plant Quarantine. But these agencies did not pay attention,' said Sharma, 'local agencies do not have technicians, the work of teaching farmers has not been done. Department of Agriculture, Plant Quarantine did not pay attention either. Nothing worked except registration.'

He says that because of the negligence of the government, consumers have to eat pesticide-laden vegetables every day. Only two groups of pesticides (cabramite and organophosphate) are tested here. Apart from these two, other pesticide labs cannot identify them," said Sharma, "Although the laboratory in the central office of the Food Technology and Quality Control Department can identify them, the test has not been done."

Food Technology and Central Agriculture Laboratory have been testing only samples of pesticides of these two groups through RBPR. Recently, Sharma claims that other pesticides have been used more than these two groups.

Rajivdas Rajbhandari, Senior Crop Protection Officer of the Agricultural Laboratory, admitted that only two groups are being tested. There are many groups of poisons. But the test has not been done. Now preparations are being made to test pesticides of other groups as well,' Rajbhandari said, 'We are also increasing the scope of RBPR testing.'