A Decadal Pattern and Growth in Chemical and Bio Pesticide Use and Its Intensity Across Indian States Leads for Policy

Abstract

Globally, increasing pesticide use and its intensity (kg/ha) has become a trend since the past two decades, while India figures among top users of only insecticides. India being a key global producer and supplier of various farm commodities, use of chemical pesticides is a matter of concern. Using the annual agricultural pesticide use data from 2012 to 2021 from secondary source, this paper has analyzed the spatial and temporal pattern in chemical and bio-pesticide use in the country. The study observed the northern and western states of India to be accounting for about 62% of total use, while the northern states in addition used it most intensively (>500g/ha). States with larger arable land viz., Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, used highest chemical pesticides in total. However, Jammu & Kashmir (3.64 kg/ha) followed by Punjab, Jharkhand, Haryana, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh (500-650 g/ha) used chemical pesticides more intensively. Different crops in different states may be responsible for higher and intensive pesticide use. Thus, individual state governments may have to identify crops and regions responsible for higher use intensity and thus address any adversary. Fungicides, which has surpassed insecticides to become most used pesticide group, has observed promising growth of 7 percent annually. Research & policy attention may be drawn in addressing the same. On the contrary, the Indian government mandating pesticide companies to produce and sell bio-pesticides seems to have positive results with more than 5 per cent annual growth in its use across the geographic zones of the country. Sustained governance can help reduce chemical use in agriculture and thus help improving soil organic matter and health.