Industry should engage with Govt to reduce use of fertilizers & pesticides:  Tomar

Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare was addressing the ‘11th Agrochemicals Conference 2022, organized by FICCI.

 Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt of India said that the private sector should come forward and support the government in reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides in the agriculture sector. Addressing the ‘11th Agrochemicals Conference 2022 -Policy Landscape for a Flourishing Agrochemicals Industry’, organized by FICCI, with the support of Department of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt of India.

Tomar also stated that the government is promoting the use of newer technology to be adopted by the farmers to produce expensive crops. “Work is also being done to ensure uniformity in production of crops along with ensuring quality in the production”, he added.

Bhagwanth Khuba, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers and New & Renewable Energy, Govt of India urged the industry to focus on organic pesticides as this will take time to adopt to mitigate the side effects of pesticides currently used. “We must also promote manufacturing these organic pesticides in India as well”, he added.

Mr RG Agarwal, Chairman, FICCI Crop Protection Committee & Chairman, Dhanuka Group said, “We urge the government to reduce GST rates on pesticides and bring it at 5 per cent like fertilizers so as to benefit small and marginal farmers as well. The government should also provide PLI to pesticides industry to develop the domestic industry as an international manufacturing hub.”

FICCI-PwC Knowledge paper ‘Policy Landscape for a Flourishing Agrochemicals Industry’, was released during the event.

Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture &