Use fertilisers judiciously on paddy, advise agricultural experts

Amritsar, July 4

Agricultural experts have warned paddy cultivators, especially basmati growers, against the indiscriminate use of chemicals on the crop which can lead to occurrence of pesticide residue in the grains and subsequent losses in export value.

The experts added that chemicals, including pesticides, weedicides and fertilisers, should be used only according to the recommendations of the Punjab Agricultural University.

The state government had earlier banned the sale, storage and use of 10 harmful chemicals which can leave pesticide residue in the produce. These included acephate, chlorpyrifos, thiamethoxam, carbendazim, tricyclazole, buprofezin, propiconazole, profenofos, soprothiolan and methamidophos.

Chief Agriculture Officer Jatinder Gill said agro-chemical sellers should also refrain from selling these chemicals to farmers as they have been banned under the Insecticides Act. He said indiscriminate use of fertilisers and chemicals on paddy can harm the financial interests of farmers.

“The basmati produced in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts is of the best quality in the world and has high a huge demand in foreign countries, especially Arabic nations. But the only problem is the high level of pesticide residue which can be easily overcome if farmers start judicious use of chemicals,” he said.