Plant Protection

Plant Protection continues to play a significant role in achieving targets of crop production. The major thrust areas of plant protection are promotion of Integrated Pest Management, ensuring availability of safe and quality pesticides for sustaining crop production from the ravages of pests and diseases, streamlining the quarantine measures for accelerating the introduction of new high-yielding crop varieties, besides eliminating the chances of entry of exotic pests and for human resource development including empowerment of women in plant protection skills.

Presently, two Central Sector Plan Schemes are being implemented to achieve the main objectives of Plant Protection strategy in the country:

Strengthening the Modernisation of Pest Management Approach in India: This scheme has the following four components:

• Promotion of Integrated Pest Management;
• Locust Control and Research;
• Training in Plant Protection; and
• Implementation of Insecticides Act.

Plant Quarantine Facilities

Plant Quarantine activities are intended to prevent and control/contain exotic pests and diseases into the country by adoption of suitable domestic plant quarantine measures. In order to achieve this goal, the provisions of the Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914 and the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 are being implemented. Besides, the work pertaining to Post Entry Quarantine inspection/surveillance in respect of the identified plants/planting material in pursuance of Plant Quarantine Order, 2003 has been assigned to the Inspection Authorities who are the scientists of the State Agricultural Universities. The export certification and issuance of phytosanitary certificate is undertaken by the Plant Quarantine Stations. Five Regional Plant Quarantine Stations at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Amritsar have been strengthened under UNDP Project in view of increased import and export of agricultural commodities under WTO provisions. Out of 33 Plant Quarantine Stations, 10 stations are located at Airports, 10 stations at Seaports and 13 stations at Land Frontiers.

Monitoring Of Pesticide Residues

The subject “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues” has been allocated to the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation by the Cabinet Secretariat. Monitoring of pesticide residues at national level is essential to ensure food safety in the country. Further, it is essential to ensure that our export consignments are not rejected due to presence of pesticide residues. The Scheme has been approved with an outlay of Rs 24 crore during the Tenth Plan.

Agricultural Mechanisation

Strategies and programmes have been directed towards replacement of traditional and inefficient implements by improved ones, enabling the farmers to own tractors, power tillers, harvesters and other machines, availability of custom services, support services of human resource development, testing and evaluation and research and development. A large industrial base for manufacturing of the agricultural machines has also been developed. Introduction of technologically advanced equipment through extension and demonstration besides institutional credit has also been taken up. Equipments for resource conservation have also been adopted by the farmers.

Under various Government sponsored schemes like Macro Management of Agriculture, On Farm Water Management, Technology Mission for Oilseeds and Pulses, Technology Mission on Horticulture and the Technology Mission on Cotton, financial assistance is provided to the farmers for the purchase of identified agricultural implements and machines.

Seeds
Seed is a critical and basic input for enhancing agricultural production and productivity in different agro-climatic regions. Indian seed programme largely adheres to the limited generation system for seed multiplication. The system recognises three generations, namely, breeder, foundation and certified seeds and provides adequate safeguards for quality assurance in the seed multiplication chain to maintain the purity of variety as it flows from the breeders to the farmers.

Structure of seed industry

Indian seed programme includes the participation of Central and State Governments, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities (SAU) system, public sector, co-operative sector and private sector institutions, Seed sector in India consists of two national level corporations, i.e., National Seeds Corporation (NSC) and State Farms Corporation of India (SFCI), 13 State Seed Corporations (SSCs) and about 100 major seed companies. For quality control and certification, there are 22 State Seed Certification Agencies (SSCAs) and 101 State Seed Testing Laboratories (SSTLs). The private sector has started to play a significant role in the production and distribution of seeds. However, the organised seed sector particularly for food crops cereals continue to be dominated by the public sector.

Agricultural Marketing

The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) extends support to the Central and State Governments on agricultural marketing policies and programmes and implement various schemes under them.

The DMI administers the Agricultural Produce Grading and Marking Act, 1937 as amended in 1986. The grade standards notified under the Act are popularly known as Agmark standards and such standards have been formulated and notified under the Act in respect of 181 agricultural and allied produce.

The DMI undertakes marketing, research, surveys and in-depth studies of marketing system for various agricultural commodities in the country and suggests remedial measures.

The Directorate is implementing a Central Sector Scheme ‘Marketing Research and Information Network’ to establish a nationwide network for speedy collection and dissemination of market information. Under this scheme, 993 markets have already been provided connectivity out of which, 764 markets were made operational by the end of March 2005. Besides, connectivity to 411 additional agricultural markets are under process. At present, daily prices of more than 300 commodities and about 2000 varieties are being reported.