It was only this week that Haryana Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association had observed that annual crop losses of Rs 1,00,000 crore were due to poor use of pesticides and on Friday, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said that ?it was the poor quality of pesticides that was causing Rs one-lakh crore crop loss?.

Since insects, pests and weeds are surfacing to eat standing crops because of ?non-judicious use of pesticides by farmers in 20% of agriculture land, it is fast loosing its yield?.

According to Assocham president Sajjan Jindal, the poor and inadequate use of pesticides is the primary cause of poor yield of crops due to which, a great deal of agriculture production has adversely been suffering.

In fact, the Assocham not agreeing with the Pesticides Manufacturers Association said that ?the impressions are that pesticide consumption in India is significantly higher as compared to many developed and developing countries?.

The former president of Haryana Pesticides Manufactures and Formulators Association, NK Aggarwal told FE that ?the Centre was giving subsidy of over Rs one lakh crore on fertilisers to farmers. Just 20% of this subsidy needs to be diverted towards pesticides and the manufactures would ensure that crop loss of 25-30% due to various crop diseases becomes a matter of past?.

To justify its views, the Assocham has quoted The Standing Committee on Petroleum and Chemicals, which recently ?estimated that crop losses to an extent of over Rs 90,000 crore per annum as pesticides drops by farmers in the country is the most unwise and non judicious, which has been harming 20% of Indian agrarian land in terms of its yield and fertility?.

According to Assocham, since farmers have resorted to scientific methods for spray of pesticides, insects, pests but weeds surface and eat standing crops causing huge loss to agriculture production, which according to Assocham should be well within the range of Rs 1 lakh crore a year, up by Rs 10,000 crore as already estimated by Standing Committee on Petroleum and Chemicals.

The Assocham has pointed out that the biggest challenge facing the Indian farmers is the knowledge gap that is the communication of agriculture technology to them and its instant practical benefit.