India: Following Punjab, Haryana bans 10 insecticides to save paddy exports

Punjab government had announced the decision to ban 10 Insecticides on 12th August 2022 for 60 days in a move to save basmati rice exports. A similar notification was released by Haryana Government last week following the request of Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) mentioned a source. The order has been issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Haryana, Dr Sumita Misra

The notification reasoned, ″Sale, stock, distribution and use of mentioned insecticides is not in the interest of basmati rice growers. There is a risk of higher pesticide residual than permitted Maximum Residual Level (MRL) fixed by the authorities.″

List of insecticides banned by Haryana Government

Mr. Harish Mehta, Senior Advisor,Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) told Krishak Jagat, ″The order is against the farming community and is unsustainable. The impugned order is manifestly arbitrary and ultra vires the provisions of the Insecticides Act especially with reference to Section 27 read with Section 26.″

The State Government can pass a temporary ban on the sale and use of any insecticide under Section 27 of the Insecticides Act only if its use is likely to cause risk to human beings or animals – for reasons of public safety. Pertinently, the Section 27 cannot be invoked in the absence of reports of ″occurrences of poisoning″ u/s 26 of the Insecticides Act. Further, the notification makes no reference to ″any occurrences of poisoning″.

The Industry body CCFI has sent a representation to Secretary Agriculture Haryana along with a copy to Agriculture Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Mr. Manoj Ahuja and Joint Secretary Plant Protection Dr. Pramod Kumar Meherda.