Following a crackdown on pesticide companies, Indian agricultural experts are raising concerns about the approval of herbicides and herbicide-tolerant (HT) seed varieties. This comes after the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, suspended the license of a pesticide company. Experts believe that the increased use of these herbicides, often promoted alongside HT seeds, could harm soil health and increase pollution.
A senior agricultural scientist commented, “Many herbicides are already approved for agricultural use, while the number of HT varieties is very low. Despite this, there is pressure to develop them and for companies to push the sale of herbicides along with them.”
In Rajasthan, the state’s Agriculture Minister, Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena, announced that the license of HPM Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd. was suspended immediately. This action was taken because the company’s product, Chlorimuron Ethyl, was found to be damaging soybean crops in several districts of Madhya Pradesh. This highlights the ongoing scrutiny of agricultural chemical products.
Research is underway at various institutions to develop herbicide-tolerant crop varieties. One such development involves making the flood-tolerant rice variety ‘Swarna Sub 1’ herbicide-tolerant. However, scientists point out that this rice variety is typically grown in areas with abundant water, where weed problems are minimal. Therefore, the need for an HT version of this specific variety is questioned.
Trade policy expert S. Chandrasekaran warned about the environmental impact of excessive herbicide use. He stated, “The overuse of herbicides makes the soil toxic, and its effects on humans, animals, and plants are long-lasting. As the country moves towards natural farming, we must adopt a balanced and cautious approach.”
Mr. Mohini Mohan Mishra, General Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, an organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), also voiced opposition to the widespread use of herbicides and HT seeds in India. He suggested that weeds should be removed rather than killed, as some weeds can also be medicinal plants. Destroying them, he argued, is akin to destroying biodiversity.
Concerns have also been raised about HTBt cotton. The government has not yet approved HTBt cotton due to serious concerns about its toxicity and impact on health. Despite this, illegal cultivation and seed multiplication of this variety have reportedly been occurring on a large scale each year.