NEW DELHI: Pulses production can increase by up to 25 per cent if farmers apply genuine pesticides on time, according to industry body Crop Life India.

The country is facing a shortage of two million tonnes of pulses in the country and as a result in a last month or so, the pulses prices have touched Rs 210 per kg. Therefore, the government was forced to import the lentils.

According to various industry estimates pests and disease infestation amounts to crop losses worth Rs 50,000 crore each year in India, due to the use of spurious agrochemicals.

The one-fourth of total agrochemical products worth Rs 3,475 crore were sold in India according to Tata Strategic Management Group report.

“Lack of awareness among farmers, makes them buy spurious pesticides, which may not protect them against pest attacks but may damage the crop,” Mudholkar said.

He added that Crop Life India member companies have been training farmers on how to use the pesticides and other agrochemicals correctly, judiciously, safely and timely.

“At the same time, we are also guiding farmers on how to identify the difference between spurious and fake products, making sure that they collect a bills from dealers for the products,” he said.

It will be unfair to entirely blame farmers for their lack of awareness, on the other side, it is equally important for the state governments to enforce laws and ensure such products are not sold in the market, he added.

Appreciating regulatory system for agrochemicals sector in the country, Mudholkar, however, said there is an imperative need to pay attention to simplify the process to enable ease of doing business at the central and state levels.

India is the fourth largest producer of crop protection chemicals globally. The domestic crop protection industry’s valuation stood at USD 2.3 billion in 2014 with the sector tipped to reach USD 4.2 billion by FY 2018-19.