Domestic pesticide makers today said that the demand for banning Endosulfan pesticide in India is being driven by vested interests of Multinational firms.
"The demand for banning Endosulfan in India, is motivated by the vested interest of European pesticide makers, who are interested in promoting their patented products in the country," Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) President Pradeep Dave told reporters here.
European companies, which have vested business interests are lobbying for imposing an international ban on Endosulfan as the ban would create a market for their products in the third world countries, he said.
Dave added that Endosulfan is being used in the country for the last 50 years and there has been no such scientific records available, which indicate that the use of this chemical has resulted into serious health hazards of any kind.
International Stewardship Centre, an NGO working for chemical industry, said that replacing Endosulfan with any other chemical would be at least 10 times costlier for the Indian farmers.
"A litre of Endosulfan costs Rs 250 to Indian farmers whereas any chemical manufactured by multinational would cost more than Rs 2,500 per litre thus making the use of pesticides 10 times costlier," International Stewardship Centre Chairman R Hariharan said.
He said that India is the largest producer, user and exporter of Endosulfan. The total market in India for the pesticide is around USD 60 million and the country exports around another USD 40 million worth Endosulfan.
The International Stewardship Centre (ISC)
The International Stewardship Centre (ISC) is a non-profit corporation with roots in the early 1990s, which was created for the purpose of educating, promoting and encouraging safety in the manufacture, transport, distribution, storage, use and disposal of chemical substances. ISC works through its member companies with both end users and governments in sharing product stewardship information
By the nature of its charter, member companies of ISC are committed to the safe use of chemicals. Each utilizes the principles of product stewardship as the basis of its means of chemical risk management. ISC ascribes to the premises that the risk associated with chemicals is the product of exposure and hazard and that chemical risk management decisions should be grounded in sound science. ISC supports the stated principles of the Stockholm Convention in which it has been granted observer status and has followed closely the deliberations and developments at its various meetings.
Pesticides Manufactures & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI)
Pesticides Formulators Association of India (PFAI) came into existence in the year 1967 with a view to provide a platform for small scale Pesticides Formulators. It was subsequently changed in 1997 as Pesticides Manufactures & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI). The members of PMFAI include multinationals, large-medium and small scale basic manufacturers & manufacturers of intermediates required for Pesticides. The Association represents the Pesticides Industry on a national basis with strength of over 250 members. The mission of PMFAI is to include basic technical grade manufacturers of pesticides to foster the interest of general public & PMFAI'S members by promoting innovation and environmentally sound use of crop protection/public health products so as to ensure high quality, abundant food, fibre and maintenance for growing population in Indian sub-continent. http://www.pmfai.org
