Indian farmer leader, Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary and his team at Bharatiya Krishak Samaj (Indian Farmers' Organisation) recently busted the dangerous racket of leading pesticide and insecticide companies in selling sub-standard pesticides to farmers. Here are some of the clippings from country's leading newspapers ----- In THE ECONOMIC TIMES Bharatiya Krishak Samaj exposes racket of cos selling sub-standard pesticides http://economictimes. indiatimes.com/News/Economy/ Agriculture/Bharatiya-Krishak- Samaj-exposes-racket-of-cos- selling-sub-standard- pesticides/articleshow/ 4367363.cms 6 Apr 2009, 2252 hrs IST, Prabha Jagannathan, ET Bureau NEW DELHI: India's leading farmers' organisation Bharatiya Krishak Samaj today brought to the fore the racket of pesticide companies in the sale of sub-standard pesticides and insecticides to farmers. The loss to the farmers on account of using the sub-standard pesticides and insecticides is likely to be over Rs 25000 crore. The manufactures of this sub-standard material tend to gain over Rs 1500 crore by pushing the sale of their products. Addressing a press conference on Monday, the president of Bharatiya Krishak Samaj Dr. Krishan Bir Chaudhary said "we collected samples of 26 branded pesticides and got them tested at the NABL Accredited Government Laboratory of the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology and found that 20 of the 26 samples failed. Some of samples tested shockingly contained only about 1/10th of the chemical 'Phorate' which is used to control while grubs in sugarcane, paddy, wheat and potato and other vegetable crops. This negligible chemical content has caused huge losses to the farmers". Other pesticides/insecticides/ weedicides included Isoproturon, 2-4D Sodium Salt 80% and Ethyl Ester 38%. These also contained less amount of protective chemicals needed for crop protection. Notably, the samples of even big reputed companies were found to be sub-standard and not meeting the requisite norms, as they failed in the laboratory tests. The failed branded products included Arjun 10 of Montari Agro Industries Roorkee, Shreetox of Shree Pulverizing Mills Alwar, Kurunai of Sree Ramcides Chemicals Chennai, Shrimet 10G of Sriram Agro Chemicals Mumbai, Rusphort of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat, Helmet 10G of Tropical Agro Systems India Ghaziabad, Pestox of Oasis Insecticides Sikandrabad, Dhantox 10 of Meerut Agro Chemicals Industries Limited Meerut, Shaktiman of Pacific Agricrop Science Pvt Ltd, Salempur Bookri, Furatox 10G of Jyoti Pesticides Saharanpur, Shriram ISO of Shriram Agro Chemicals Mumbai, Anulon 75 of Anu Products Limited Faridabad, Arusloni 75 of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat, Wonder of Tropical Agro Systems India Limited, Ghaziabad, Pestion of Oasis Insecticides Pvt. Ltd., Sikandrabad, Sheiram 2-4D of Shriram Agro Chemicals Mumbai, Cut-off 80 of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat, Weedfree 80 of Oasis Insecticides Pvt. Ltd. Sikandrabad, Anuweed 38 of Anu Products Limited Faridabad, Weedfree 38 EC of Oasis Insecticides Pvt. Ltd. Sikandrabad. Of the 26 branded samples, 20 failed the test. The ones which passed the test include Umet of United Phosphorus Limited Vapi, Safaya of Devi Dayal Sales Limited, Mumbai, Anu of Anu Products Limited Faridabad, Kilharb of Tropical Agro Systems Limited, Ghaziabad, Weedmar of Dhanuka Agritech Limited Gurgaon and Cut-off of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat. Chaudhary said that he personally appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture in January this year and pleaded for action against erring companies for the sale of sub-standard pesticides. He also called for action against the pesticides inspectors and state laboratory analysts who actively connive with these companies and help them in selling sub-standard material and duping the farmers. He appealed to the Government for strict action against the companies and seal them immediately. ------------------------------ ---------- In THE HINDU 'Indian farmers stand to lose crops worth Rs. 25,000 crore annually due to sub-standard pesticides' http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/ 07/stories/2009040755860700. htm Gargi Parsai NEW DELHI: Indian farmers stand to lose crops worth over Rs. 25,000 crore annually due to use of sub-standard pesticides and insecticides, a farmers' organisation has claimed here on Monday. Much of the failure from sub-standard products is reported in sugarcane, wheat, paddy and potato crops. Addressing a press conference here, president of Bhartiya Krishak Samaj Krishna Bir Chaudhary sought strong action against erring manufacturers and said that the annual sale of such sub-standard products was estimated at approximately 25 per cent of the annual average sale of pesticides and insecticides to the tune of Rs. 6,500 crore. "We got samples of 26 branded pesticides tested at the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, a NABL [National Accreditation Board for testing and calibration Laboratories]-accredited lab under the Ministry of Science and Technology and found that 20 of 26 samples failed. Some of the samples, for example, contained only 1/10th of the chemical 'phorate' used in controlling white grub in sugarcane crop. Likewise standards were violated in other pesticides/weedicides," said Chaudhary ------------------------------ ------------ In THE HINDU - India loses crops worth Rs 25,000 crore to spurious pesticides New Delhi (PTI): India is facing crop losses worth over Rs 25,000 crore a year due to the use of spurious pesticides and insecticides, a leading farmers' body claimed here on Monday, pegging the annual sales of such fake products at over Rs 1,500 crore. Calling for a crackdown on the companies that sell such spurious items, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj President Krishan Bir Chaudhary told reporters that out of four widely-used products in northern India manufactured by at least 14 companies, as many as 11 companies failed to meet the parameters set by the government. "Crops to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore are being lost due to spurious pesticides and insecticides that notch up annual sales of about Rs 1,500 crore," he said. About 30 per cent of the cane crops in the second-largest sugar producing state of Uttar Pradesh are lost due to such fake products, he added. The farmers' body picked up random samples of such pesticides and insecticides from different places and sent them for tests to the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, which has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories under the Ministry of Science and Technology. In the manufacturing of Phorate (10 per cent CG), which is widely used in sugarcane, paddy, wheat and potato crops, samples of 10 out of 11 companies failed to meet the required standard, Chaudhary claimed. Similarly, the samples of five companies of Isoproturon (75 per cent WP), which is used against insects to protect paddy and wheat crops, are alleged to have failed in the test. Samples of two out of four companies tested are claimed to have failed in complying with requirements for the manufacturing of 2,4-D Ethyl Ester (38 per cent EC), which is used in the paddy crop. Moreover, three companies are alleged to have bypassed norms as reflected in the samples of 2,4-D, Sodium Salt (80 per cent Tech), which is used in the paddy crop, Chaudhary said. He said the government should clamp down on products of companies from time to time and cancel licences of erring firms while taking action against pesticide producers and inspectors who connive with the manufacturers. ------------------------------ -------------------- From REUTERS News Agency -- Pest attack hit India 2008 cane output-farmers body Mon Apr 6, 2009 6:28 pm IST NEW DELHI, April 6 (Reuters) - More than a quarter of the sugar cane crop in India's Uttar Pradesh was damaged by pests last year because of poor-quality pesticides, rather than the use of pesticides themselves, a farmers' body said on Monday. India's cane output in 2008 fell 17 percent to 290 million tonnes, leading to a sharp fall in sugar production and imports of raws. "Up to 30 percent of the cane crop in Uttar Pradesh was damaged due to the white grubs attack," Krishan Bir Chaudhary, president of farmers' lobby group Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, told reporters. Chaudhary rejected the contention of some sugar producers that excessive use of pesticides had contributed to the decline in production. He said a study conducted by the farmers' body showed that 20 samples drawn randomly from 26 pesticide companies did not meet the quality specification set by the government. He said the northern state accounts for almost half of the 4.4 million hectares of sugar cane planted in India. Chaudhary said that if good-quality pesticides were available for all crops in India, it would prevent losses of about 250 billion rupees ($5 billion) a year. ($1=50 rupees) (Reporting by Ratnajyoti Dutta) ------------------------------ -------------- In THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS - India loses crops worth Rs 25k cr to spurious pesticides http://www.financialexpress. com/news/india-loses-crops- worth-rs-25k-cr-to-spurious- pesticides/443910/ fe Bureau Posted: 2009-04-07 00:03:23+05:30 IST Updated: Apr 07, 2009 at 0003 hrs IST New Delhi: India is facing crop loses worth over Rs 25,000 crore a year due to the use of spurious pesticides and insecticides, a leading farmers' body claimed on Monday, pegging the annual sales of such fake products at over Rs 1,500 crore. Calling for a crackdown on the companies that sell such spurious items, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj president Krishan Bir Chaudhary said in a statement that out of four widely used products in northern India manufactured by at least 14 companies, as many as 11 companies failed to meet the parameters set by the government. "Crops to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore are lost due to spurious pesticides and insecticides that notch up annual sales of about Rs 1,500 crore," he said. About 30% of the cane crops in Uttar Pradesh, the second-largest sugar producing state, are lost due to such fake products, he added. The farmers' body picked up random samples of such pesticides and insecticides from different places and sent them for tests to the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, which has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories under the ministry of science and technology. In the manufacturing of phorate (10% CG) samples of 10 out of 11 companies failed to meet the requiresd standard, Chaudhary claimed. The samples of five companies of isoproturon (75% WP), which is used against insects to protect paddy and wheat crops, are alleged to have failed in the test. Samples of two out of four companies tested claimed to have failed in complying with requirements for the manufacturing of 2, 4-D ethyl ester (38% EC), which is used in the paddy crop. Moreover, three companies are alleged to have bypassed norms as reflected in the samples of 2, 4-D, sodium salt (80 per cent Tech), which is used in the paddy crop, Chaudhary said. He said the government should clamp down on products of companies from time to time and cancel licences of erring firms while taking action against pesticide producers and inspectors who connive with the manufacturers ------------------------------ ------------ In NEW INDIAN EXPRESS -- http://epaper.newindpress.com/ NE/NE/2009/04/07/ArticleHtmls/ 07_04_2009_008_002.shtml?Mode= 1 THE Bharatiya Krishak Samaj on Monday alleged that several pesticide companies were involved in the sale of sub-standard pesticides and insecticides to farmers. The loss to the farmers on account of using sub-standard pesticides and insecticides is likely to be over Rs 25,000 crores. The manufactures of sub-standard material tend to gain over Rs 1,500 crores by pushing the sale of their products. ``We collected samples of 26 branded pesticides and got them tested at the NABL Accredited Government Laboratory of the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology and found that 20 of the 26 samples failed'', Bharatiya Krishak Samaj president Krishna Bir Chaudhary said at a press conference here. Chaudhary said that he personally appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture in January this year and pleaded for action against erring companies for the sale of substandard pesticides. ``The committee agreed with our findings. But no action has been taken so far against erring firms,'' he said calling for stringent action against pesticide inspectors and state laboratory analysts who connive with these companies and help them in selling sub-standard material and duping the farmers. Some of samples tested shockingly contained only about 1/10th of the chemical `Phorate' which is used to control grubs in sugarcane, paddy, wheat, potato and other vegetable crops. This negligible chemical content has caused huge loss to the farmers. Other pesticides/insecticides/ weedicides included Isoproturon, 2-4D sodium salt 80 percent and ethyl ester 38 percent. These also contained less amount of protective chemicals needed for crop protection. Notably, the samples of even big reputed companies were found to be sub-standard and not meeting the requisite norms, as they failed in the laboratory tests, Chaudhary claimed. The failed branded products included Arjun 10 of Montari Agro Industries Roorkee, Shreetox of Shree Pulverizing Mills Alwar, Kurunai of Sree Ramcides Chemicals Chennai, Shrimet 10G of Sriram Agro Chemicals Mumbai, Rusphort of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat, Helmet 10G of Tropical Agro Systems India Ghaziabad, Pestox of Oasis Insecticides Sikandrabad, Dhantox 10 of Meerut Agro Chemicals Industries Limited Meerut, Shaktiman of Pacific Agricrop Science Pvt. Ltd., Salempur Bookri, Furatox 10G of Jyoti Pesticides Saharanpur, Shriram ISO of Shriram Agro Chemicals Mumbai, Anulon 75 of Anu Products Limited Faridabad, Arusloni 75 of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat, Wonder of Tropical Agro Systems India Limited, Ghaziabad, Pestion of Oasis Insecticides Pvt. Ltd., Sikandrabad, Sheiram 2-4D of Shriram Agro Chemicals Mumbai, Cut-off 80 of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat, Weedfree 80 of Oasis Insecticides Pvt. Ltd. Sikandrabad, Anuweed 38 of Anu Products Limited Faridabad and Weedfree 38 EC of Oasis Insecticides Private. Ltd. Sikandrabad. The pesticides which passed the test include Umet of United Phosphorus Ltd Vapi, Safaya of Devi Dayal Sales Limited, Mumbai, Anu of Anu Products Limited Faridabad, Kilharb of Tropical Agro Systems Ltd, Ghaziabad, Weedmar of Dhanuka Agritech Limited Gurgaon and Cut-off of Jai Shree Rasayan Udyog Sonepat. ----------------------------- In THE POLITICAL & BUSINESS DAILY - India loses crops worth Rs 25k cr to spurious pesticides http://www.pbd.in/News_Detail. aspx?news_id=4000 New Delhi, April 6 India is facing crop losses worth over Rs 25,000 crore a year due to the use of spurious pesticides and insecticides, a leading farmers' body claimed here today, pegging the annual sales of such fake products at over Rs 1,500 crore. Calling for a crackdown on the companies that sell such spurious items, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj President Krishan Bir Chaudhary told reporters that out of four widely-used products in northern India manufactured by at least 14 companies, as many as 11 companies failed to meet the parameters set by the government. "Crops to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore are being lost due to spurious pesticides and insecticides that notch up annual sales of about Rs 1,500 crore," he said. About 30 per cent of the cane crops in the second-largest sugar producing state of Uttar Pradesh are lost due to such fake products, he added. The farmers' body picked up random samples of such pesticides and insecticides from different places and sent them for tests to the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, which has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories under the Ministry of Science and Technology. In the manufacturing of Phorate (10 per cent CG), which is widely used in sugarcane, paddy, wheat and potato crops, samples of 10 out of 11 companies failed to meet the required standard, Chaudhary claimed. Similarly, the samples of five companies of Isoproturon (75 per cent WP), which is used against insects to protect paddy and wheat crops, are alleged to have failed in the test. Samples of two out of four companies tested are claimed to have failed in complying with requirements for the manufacturing of 2,4-D Ethyl Ester (38 per cent EC), which is used in the paddy crop. Moreover, three companies are alleged to have bypassed norms as reflected in the samples of 2,4-D, Chaudhary said.—PTI ------------------------------ -------------- India loses crops worth Rs 25,000 crore to spurious pesticides http://www.samaylive.com/news/india-loses-crops-worth-rs-25000-crore-to-spurious-pesticides/617036.html New Delhi, Apr 6 : India is facing crop losses worth over Rs 25,000 crore a year due to the use of spurious pesticides and insecticides, a leading farmers' body claimed here today, pegging the annual sales of such fake products at over Rs 1,500 crore. Calling for a crackdown on the companies that sell such spurious items, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj President Krishan Bir Chaudhary told reporters that out of four widely-used products in northern India manufactured by at least 14 companies, as many as 11 companies failed to meet the parameters set by the government. "Crops to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore are being lost due to spurious pesticides and insecticides that notch up annual sales of about Rs 1,500 crore," he said. About 30 per cent of the cane crops in the second-largest sugar producing state of Uttar Pradesh are lost due to such fake products, he added. The farmers' body picked up random samples of such pesticides and insecticides from different places and sent them for tests to the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, which has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories under the Ministry of Science and Technology. MORE ------------------------------------ Also open the URLs - nandigramunited.blogspot.com/ 2008_03_01_archive.html - 977k and http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/ETNEW/navigator.asp?Daily=ETM&showST=true&login=default The News on Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary busting pesticide racket also appeared in leading Hindi newspapers like Dainik Tribune, Punjab Kesari, Dainik Jagaran, Dainik Bhaskar, Business Bhaskar, Business Standard (Hindi), Rajasthan Patrika, Jansatta, Rashtriya Sahara, Mahamedha. It also appeared in other newspapers printed in different regional languages of the country |
Get an email ID as yourname@ymail.com or yourname@rocketmail.com. Click here.
__._,_.___