CCFI: Indian Farmers Are Using Pesticides at the Optimum Level
As per the latest finding, India ranks second in the world in agricultural production having achieved $543 bn during the year 2021, only after China, reports Krishak Jagat. India has surpassed the U.S. with a production of $224 bn and the entire EU at $278 bn. India is the only country with a world share of production value in double digits at 13% after China with a share of 31%.
“As per information collated by Centre for Environment & Agriculture, India consumes 61,702 tons of agrochemicals against a global consumption of 26,61,124 tons, which makes India’s share at just 2%,” says Harish Mehta, Senior Advisor, Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI).
Interestingly, if we look at pesticide use category-wise, insecticides at 51% continue to dominate the Indian agrochemical market with major consumption on cotton, paddy vegetables, etc., followed by fungicides and bactericides at 32%, and herbicides at 16%.
Fungicides are used to prevent or eradicate fungal infections from plants or seeds. In agriculture, they are increasingly used to protect tubers, fruits, and vegetables in the field, besides significant use during storage. They are applied directly to ornamental plants, trees, field crops, cereals, and turf grasses.
Mehta mentioned that In India, the herbicides segment is static though they are convenient to use on perennial and parasitic weeds where other methods are not effective. Herbicides can effectively be used in closely planted crops where manual and mechanical weeding is not possible. With labor becoming scarce, chemical usage should also go up.
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