Low use of pesticides can boost basmati exports: Experts

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 22

To boost the popularity and export of basmati rice in the international market, agricultural experts conducted a meeting with pesticides dealers in the border belt, famous for the best quality basmati.

Speaking on the occasion, Agriculture Secretary Kahan Singh Pannu said the objective was to improve the quality of basmati rice by reducing the use of pesticides, so that it could fetch a better price in the international market. The pesticides dealers from Amritsar and Tarn Taran attended the meeting.

In the international market, the grain with more pesticide residue are not sold or get a lower price. He asked the dealers not to sell and recommend the use of pesticides to farmers for their commission as it might create trouble for the already distressed farmers.

“Basmati rice worth Rs 50,000 crore is exported every year. The failure to improve the quality may destroy the prospects of the local farmers. Chemicals should not be used on crop unless recommended by PAU experts,” he said.

He said it had been observed that farmers paid more attention to the suggestions given by pesticide dealers and ignore recommendations of agriculture experts. Pannu asked dealers to not to sell certain chemical salts, which are often bound in grains as a residue.

Arvinderpal Singh, president, Punjab Rice Export Association, said basmati rice with nearly zero pesticide residue gets a good price in the international market. He announced that traders would offer Rs 500 extra to such farmers whose crop is free of pesticide residue.

Director (Agriculture) Jasbir Singh Bains said around five lakh hectares of area was under basmati crop this year. Around 40 lakh tonne of basmati is expected to be exported. In Amritsar alone, the crop has been sown on 80,000 hectares, he added.