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Spurious plant growth regulators putting apple sector in crisis: Rathore
Raising the issue under ‘Calling Attention Motion’ moved under Rule 62 by Congress MLA from Theog assembly constituency, Rathore said the state’s apple-based economy valued at over ₹5,000 crore is in crisis due to the sale of spurious plant growth regulators (PGRs) in the market.
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Congress MLA from Theog Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Tuesday drew the assembly’s attention to the concrete steps being taken by the government to ensure the quality of fungicides and pesticides supplied to orchardists and farmers.
Raising the issue under ‘Calling Attention Motion’ moved under Rule 62 by Congress MLA from Theog assembly constituency, Rathore said the state’s apple-based economy valued at over ₹5,000 crore is in crisis due to the sale of spurious plant growth regulators (PGRs) in the market.
He said that the orchardists are already facing challenges owing to climate change but also suffering losses owing to spurious fungicides and pesticides.
He alleged that the sector is being consistently neglected in the state, resulting in a substantial reduction in profits for orchardists and pointed out that PGRs sold in the open market contain chemicals that are banned abroad.
Terming the influx of these banned chemicals from abroad a conspiracy, he demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter. He also questioned the import of rootstock, asking why any country would share its latest varieties with us and said that the country is being made a dumping ground of obsolete varieties.
Rathore asked what Nauni (Solan)-based Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry was doing regarding research on rootstock. He emphasised that since our climate and soil differ from those abroad, research on rootstock should be conducted within our own soil and climatic conditions.
Horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi urged farmers and orchardists to exercise caution regarding spurious PGRs being sold in the open market.
Negi acknowledged the presence of spurious PGRs in the open market and said that farmers and orchardists are falling prey to them. He said that the state government has licensed 500 shops to sell pesticides and fungicides.
Addressing the issue of diseased plant material, Negi said that the government has banned the import of rootstock into the state without quarantine clearance. Despite this, such rootstock continues to enter the state through illicit routes.
He clarified that the certification of quarantined rootstock is the responsibility of the Centre.
Negi identified Free Trade Agreements and adverse weather conditions as the biggest threats to the apple industry.
