CropLife India jointly with SAMETI, Agriculture Department, government of West Bengal conducts Awareness Program throughout the State

CropLife India, an association of 18 R&D driven crop science companies, on last Thurday, organized an awareness program for Crop protection products Dealers and students of Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI) course throughout the State of West Bengal.

The awareness program was organized jointly with Agriculture Department and State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) Government of West Bengal across 20 Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Agriculture Training Centres (ATC), SCTC and University in the mid- Kharif season, when agri-input dealers and farmers are maximally associated with different agro-chemicals.

The centres of the districts of Birbhum, Malda (Ratua); Uttar Dinajpur, North 24-Parganas (Ashokenagar); Dakhin Dinajpur; Hooghly, Howrah, Murshidabad, South 24-Parganas (Nimpith), Nadia; Burdwan, Puluria; Coochbehar; Jalpaiguri, Bankura; Kalimpong; Paschim Medinipur and Mohanpur, Nadia conducted the workshop, simultaneously.

The workshop witnessed the presence of enthusiastic crop protection products dealers across the districts participate and delve on the issue of Counterfeit, Spurious, Substandard and Unregistered/Unlicensed Crop protection products. Pradip K Mazumdar, Adviser to Chief Minister of West Bengal on Agriculture and allied sectors and Manas Ghosh, Director, SAMETI were the key officials present on this occasion among other Senior Officers of the Govt and dignitaries.

"Partnership of Government and industry will provide the requisite knowledge to farmers. Awareness generation amongst the farmer will lead to identification and use of spurious and sub standard crop protection products, which may affect the crop, user farmers and consumers' health and the environment thus rescinding their economy. Our Government is committed towards the growth of agriculturists and agriculture and the training of crop protection products dealers should minimize the potential damage and thus curb the menace," said Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, Kolkata, Pradip K Mazumdar, Adviser to Chief Minister of West Bengal on Agriculture and allied sectors; Member, Public Policy and Planning Board, West Bengal and Chairman, West Bengal Agro Industries Corporation.

CropLife India with the help of its member companies, scheduled experts across the participating KVKs of West Bengal, will facilitate the knowledge transfer. The workshop focussed on the various ways of detecting Counterfeit, Spurious, Substandard and Unregistered/Unlicensed Crop protection products. The Dealers shared the challenges faced by them and the various member company representatives shared ways of probing the source of crop protection products. Importance of Dealers extending proper guidance to farmer on the use of crop protection compounds, formed an important part of the discussion. Poster making competition and Quiz were conducted during the workshop.

"CropLife India and its members will continue its endeavour in the fight against counterfeit and illegal crop protection products. These products are unable to control the pests and may cause considerable harm to soil and environment as well as production loss. Dealers have an extremely important role in the entire supply chain, which would ensure that farmers receive quality crop protection products," said Asitava Sen, Chief Executive Officer, CropLife India

The workshop engaged the dealers on the following key facts -

* Refrain from stocking/distributing/exhibiting/sale of counterfeit/fake products.

* Do not stock/distribute/exhibit/sell products that do not possess a valid certificate of registration and license from the State Government under the provisions of Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971.

* It is mandatory under the law to have a valid crop protection products licence in order to sell, stock or exhibit for sale or to distribute crop protection products.

* All dealers/retailers of crop protection products should procure their stock from legitimate sources with proper bill/invoice.

* It is mandatory to provide a bill or invoice in the form prescribed by law with details of batch no, manufacturing and expiry dates, to customers/farmers on sale of crop protection products.

* Do not sell crop protection products past their date of expiry.