Extensive use of insecticides causing huge financial loss to farmers - Hindustan Times
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Extensive use of insecticides causing huge financial loss to farmers

Hindustan Times | ByRaghbir Singh Brar, Faridkot
Mar 05, 2014 08:52 PM IST

The extensive use of insecticides on various crops is not only causing a huge financial loss to farmers, but also posing a serious threat to environment, besides making insects resistant to them.

The extensive use of insecticides on various crops is not only causing a huge financial loss to farmers, but also posing a serious threat to environment, besides making insects resistant to them.

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Only a small number of farmers pay attention to the advice of agriculture experts on the use of insecticides, and majority go on their own in competition without proper survey of fields.

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Farmers have also started spraying insecticides on wheat but, according to Jagjeet Singh, chief agriculture officer, Faridkot, the crop has not come under much attack of sucking insects so far due to cold weather.

"Farmers should use insecticides or chemicals only when the attack of insects crosses the recommended threshold level. But, most of the farmers start spraying them seeing each other," he added.

"Insecticides should used to control the attack of sucking pests only when it is on ears of wheat. And, the spray would not harm the crop if it is limited to lower parts of the plant," said JS Kular, an etomologist from PAU Ludhiana, addressing farmers on the kisan mela on Tuesday.

Many farmers, ignoring recommendations of dosages and salts, increase their use, which leads to huge financial loss to farmers and pollution of the environment.

Jagjeet Singh, CAO, Faridkot, said we have got only one report of yellow rust from Kuhar wala village on an un-recommended variety of wheat. There is no other report in the district. Crop is free from it so far.

"To control the attack of aphid and jassid on wheat, we recommend 40 ml of Imidacloprid 17.8. The recommended dosage is very effective to control the attack, but, at the same time, it is not very fatal to friendly insects, which are very useful. But if dosages are increased too much, they also prove to be fatal to friendly insects, and also possibly help the insects develop resistance," said Bhupesh Joshi, assistant project director, agriculture technology management agency here.

"Most of the farmers use insecticides seeing each other without proper survey of their fields. But they also feel insecure about their income and do not want to take a chance of severer attack by wait. Dosages are being increased as many salts do not give them the desired result now," claims Amarjeet Dhillon, a progressive farmer from Bargari. "But this way, they are polluting the environment and even our food chain," says Amarjeet.

"Most of the farmers seek the advice of pesticide dealers, who sometimes misguide them. The private companies also run an aggressive campaign to push for their products while the government is doing little to educate them," said Gurmeet Singh, a farmer from Kotkapura village.

Wheat free from yellow rust
We have got only one report of yellow rust from Kuhar wala village on an un-recommended variety of wheat. There is no other report. Crop is free from it so far.
Jagjeet Singh, CAO, Faridkot

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