The Indian government has ordered an urgent investigation into reports of toxicity in soybean fields across several regions. This potential issue is believed to be linked to the use of agricultural chemicals, specifically herbicides, that may not meet required standards. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan confirmed that large areas of farmland have shown signs of damage.
The investigation will be conducted by a four-member team from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). This team of specialists is tasked with carrying out a field study and submitting its findings promptly. Soybean is a major crop in India, with Madhya Pradesh being the largest producer, cultivating approximately 5.5 million tonnes annually.
Herbicides, also known as weedicides, are commonly used by farmers to control weeds, thereby reducing the need for manual labour. However, agricultural chemicals, especially if they are counterfeit or misused, can lead to toxicity in both crops and humans.
Concerns have been raised by activists and organisations advocating for a ban on genetically-modified (GM) crops. They allege that herbicide-tolerant GM soybean is being illegally cultivated in many parts of the country’s soybean-growing areas. The Coalition for a GM-Free India and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) have previously reported the detection of illegal soybean crops in states like Gujarat.
Minister Chouhan stated that the problem is widespread and not confined to a single farm. He assured the public that companies found responsible for supplying substandard or harmful pesticides would be held accountable. “This (toxicity) is not limited to one farm. A high-level team of scientists has been set up to probe it and pesticide companies responsible for this will be held accountable,” he said.
According to the Indian Society of Weed Science, commonly used herbicides in soybean cultivation include pendimethalin, imazethapyr, and chlorimuron ethyl. The problem of spurious pesticides is a significant concern in India, with a recent report indicating that such products account for a substantial portion of agricultural input sales.
The government is reportedly planning to introduce stricter legislation to combat the issue of fake fertilisers and substandard agricultural inputs. A study from 2015 by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI) highlighted that using materials of lower quality can reduce the country’s potential agricultural output by over 10 million tonnes. The study also noted that the market for illegal pesticides is growing rapidly, with an annual increase of nearly 20%. This investigation highlights the critical need for quality control in agricultural inputs to ensure crop health, farmer safety, and the integrity of India’s agricultural sector.