The Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators? Association of India (PMFAI) has decided to put pressure on the European Union and other nodal bodies against the proposed ban on Endosulfan. The organisation has pointed out that the European Union?s pushtobaninsecticideEndosulfan is hampering interests of Indianfarmers.
Theusageof alternatives, according to PMFAI, will increasethecost of production manifold where it will become difficult for farmers to seeprofits.
?While they are getting Endosulfan molecules at as low as Rs 270 per litre, alternative chemicals like imida chloropid are sold at more thanRs1,800perlitre,?saidR Hariharan, chairman of International Stewardship Centre.
?Moreover, the alternatives are not a broad solution like Endosulfan. So a farmer will be forced to buy several high priced patented pesticides,? headded.
According to him, almost 12 million litres of Endosulfan is consumed per year in India with states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra consuming more than1 million litres.
Endosulfan, now an off patent pesticide, was manufacturedalmost55yearsback and farmers in India have been using the pesticide for morethanfourdecades.