TAKING STOCK - Just 1 lab in TN for pesticide test

STATE REFUTES KERALA'S CLAIMS OF EXCESSIVE USE OF CHEMICALS; SAYS WILL INTENSIFY AWARENESS DRIVE AMONG FARMERS

Horticulture forms an integral part of Tamil Nadu's economy . With around 11.4 lakh hectares of farmland, there was a yield of 191.32 lakh tonnes of horticul tural crop in the state in 2013-14 fiscal.

However, the state has just one pesticide residue testing laboratory, at the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) in Coimbatore.

With more than 9,700 private pesticide outlets and 885 government-run agri-extension centres (that offers seeds, fertilisers and pesticides at subsidy) across the state, the lone pesticide residue testing laboratory can hardly be of any help to check excessive use of pesticides. Farmers, on the other hand, use bug killers indiscriminately owing to lack of knowledge on type and dosage to be used for specific crops. “Farmers don't know the consequences and even spray pesticides costing `7,000 per litre, thinking that higher the cost, better will be the result,“ said V Dhanapalan of TN Farmers' Association.

Amid Kerala's claims of excessive pesticide content in agricultural produce grown in Tamil Nadu, a high-level team comprising health minister C Vijayabaskar and health, agriculture and food safety officials met on Wednesday to take stock of the situation. Refuting the neighbourng state's charges, Tamil Nadu officials pointed out that a recent sampling test done by TNAU in Tirunel pling test done by TNAU in Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Salem, Dindigul, Ooty , Krishnagiri, Madurai, Trichy , Erode, Dharmapuri, Theni and Namakkal revealed that 43 of 51 produce samples showed no detectable level of pesticide residues.

Sources said that the agriculture department had decided to upgrade and modernise its testing laboratories to analyse pesticide residues in agricultural produce. Taking one step further, the government said farmers would have to produce prescriptions from horticultural or agricultural officers to purchase pesticides. “In the near future, dealers will be asked to issue bills with details about the crop for which the pesticide could be used. They will also have to furnish list of restricted and banned pesticides,“ said an official.

Awareness meeting for farmers and pesticide dealers on judicious and safe use of recommended pesticides. Often, farmers are unaware of which pesticide to use for each crop. Surprise checks would be intensified by a state-level squad. Government agencies, including Integrated Pesticide Management Centre in Trichy , claimed that adequate awareness was being created among shop owners. “Besides educating the farmers at farmers' field school, we have started sensitising pesticide vendors recently . We are also encouraging organic farming,“ plant protection officer of IPM M Uma Maheswari told TOI.