'Task force soon to frame new Holistic Fertilizer Policy'

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SME Times News Bureau | 26 Aug, 2014
The NDA government would soon set up a task force of experts to frame a New Holistic Fertiliser Policy, union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ananath Kumar said Monday.

"The government proposes to come out with a new holistic fertilizer policy. Such a decision was taken after directions from the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in this regard at a recent review meeting on the subject. A Task Force of Experts in the field will be constituted to frame such a policy soon," he said at the fourth national conference on agrochemicals, organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi.

"This could provide for a national platform for farmers to use bio-fertilisers," he added.

Elaborating on the theme for the conference: "Agrochemicals for Ensuring Food and Nutritional Security of the Nation," he said the Green Revolution of 60s and 70s was not a holistic, but a truncated revolution.

Expressing serious concern at irrational usage of fertilizers he said, this could have an adverse affect for achieving a sustainable food and nutritional security for the nation.

Inaugurating the two-day conference, he told the participants that his ministry would attempt to pass the Pesticides Management Bill 2008 in parliament's winter session to accelerate growth in the sector.

Exhorting the industry to use more bio-fertilizers, the minister said there was a need to encourage farmers for using green fertilizers to maintain the soil health and boost crop production.

Noting that pesticides banned in other countries were being used in the country depleting the soil quality, Ananth Kumar urged the industry to develop green pesticide and green technology through research.

In his special address, joint secretary in the ministry A.J.V. Prasad highlighted the importance of agrochemicals for crop protection from pests, weeds and diseases.

Ananth Kumar also released a report on the conference theme prepared by the chambers with Tata strategic management group, which highlights the need for agrochemicals to overcome challenges faced by the farm sector in ensuring food and nutrition security.

The report flags imperatives for the industry, government and regulatory bodies to promote the growth of agrochemicals.

"Though agrochemicals play a crucial role in ensuring food and nutrition security of the nation, pesticide consumption is lowAat 600gm per hectare compared to global average of 3kg/ha. As a result, the per hectare yield at 3 tonnes/ha in India is amongst the lowest in the world," Tata strategic management group head Manish Panchal said.

According to the report, the Indian crop protection market was USD 4.25 billion in last fiscal (2013-14), with exports constituting 50 percent. The market size is projected to touch USD 7.5 billion over the next five years, with an average growth of 12-13 percent.

"Growing population, increasing urbanisation, reduction in arable land and consumption shift towards animal products highlight the importance of agrochemicals," the report added.