Pesticide exports exempted from proposed ban

Following stiff opposition from the industry, the government has exempted exports from the proposed ban on 27 pesticides such as monocrotophos and malathion, among others.

In an addendum to its earlier notification, the Ministry of Agriculture last week allowed the manufacture and export of the pesticides following representations from various industry bodies and companies. The ministry has also extended the period of submission of objection and suggestions to its draft order issued on May 14 from 45 days to 90 days. The draft Banning of Insecticides Order 2020 prohibits import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of such insecticides.

“Any registrant who requires to manufacture insecticides as specified in the schedule to the said notification for export purpose only, shall obtain certificate of registration under Rule 6 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971 and adhere to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government from time to time,” the addendum said.

Industry demand

Reacting to the addendum, Pradip Dave, President, Pesticide Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI), reiterated the industry demand that the government withdraw its move to ban these 27 agrochemicals, which is against the Indian farmer and the domestic industry. These 27 generic products have been widely used by farmers in the country for generations, he said.

“They have allowed exports now, but one has to register with the government again, which I feel is a time-consuming process. The registration process will take at least a month and by then the customer would have moved away as time is crucial in the export market,” Dave said. “Why should a company apply for exports when it already has a manufacturing licence and registration?”

“Excluding exports of agrochemical from proposed pesticide ban is a right step to boost ‘Make-in-India’ and attract investment in export oriented pesticide manufacturing post Covid-19,” said Bhagirath Choudhary, Director, South Asia Biotechnology Centre.

Relief to industry

Chaudhary said the export of agrochemical by Indian crop protection industry have tripled over the past decade. The exports stood at $1.81 billion in 2018-19, as against $510 million in 2010-11. The proposed ban of 27 pesticides would have jeopardized export of agrochemical worth ₹5,000 crore, Chaudhary said.

Other pesticides in the proposed ban list include Acephate, Atrazine, Benfuracarb, Butachlor, Captan, Carbofuran, Chlorpyriphos, 2,4-D, Deltamethrin, Dicofol, Dimethoate, Dinocap, Diuron, Malathion, Mancozeb, Methomyl, Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Quinalphos, Sulfosulfuron, Thiodicarb, Thiophanat emethyl, Thiram, Zineb, Ziram.