CropLife India reaches out to 100 plus pesticide dealers in Bharuch

CropLife India, an association of 18 R & D driven member companies, yesterday, organized a one of its kind, a workshop for pesticide dealers at Bharuch. The workshop was organized with the help of Kruti Charitable Trust, implementing NGO partner of CropLife India at Ambedkar Bhavan, near Collector's Office, Bharuch.

The workshop saw more than 100 pesticide dealers across Bharuch district, participate and delve on the rising issue of counterfeit, spurious, substandard and unregistered/unlicensed pesticides. Vijay Singh Solanki, Deputy Director of Agriculture - Extension; Panchal, Assistant Director of Agriculture - Quality Control; P.S. Rank, Deputy Director of Agriculture - Training; Professor Pathak and Professor Divyeshbhai Patel from College of Agriculture, Bharuch, were the key officials present on this occasion.

"Presence of significant share of non-genuine pesticide in the Indian market, which can be illegal, counterfeit, spurious, adulterated or substandard, is a matter of concern. These products are unable to control the pests and may cause considerable harm to soil and environment as well as production loss. Dealers play an important role in the entire supply chain, ensuring farmers receive quality pesticides," said Asitava Sen, Chief Executive Officer, CropLife India.

The workshop focused on the various ways of detecting counterfeit, spurious, substandard and unregistered/unlicensed pesticides. The Dealers shared their challenges faced on the ground and the various member company representatives shared their perspective on probing the source of pesticides. Farmer education by dealers formed an important part of the entire discussion.

It may be noted that Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers' Welfare (Plant Protection Division) has reached out to all licensed dealer/retailers of pesticides multiple times over the past five years, to be aware of counterfeit, spurious, substandard and unregistered/unlicensed pesticides. The Letter to dealers was sent under the Grow Safe Food campaign of Government of India and CropLife India was mandated to outreach to as many retailers as possible, across the nation.