Punjab’s pesticide-laden basmati rice rejected again

Once again, Punjab faces a setback in its Basmati rice exports as foreign importers, including countries like UAE, Europe, and the Middle East, have rejected the produce due to the presence of dangerous pesticides. This year’s rejection follows a similar scenario from the previous year, raising concerns about the future of the lucrative Basmati rice export industry.
Punjab, known for its significant contribution of 35 to 40 percent to India’s annual Basmati rice exports, has struggled to grow pesticide-free Basmati. The use of pesticides in the crop has led to the rejection of several containers of Basmati rice by importing countries.
To address this alarming situation, the Punjab Government has taken action by issuing a Gazetted notification to ban the use of pesticides that have been found to contaminate the rice crop. The ban, implemented on 24th July 2023, aims to control further damage to the reputation of Punjab’s Basmati rice in international markets. Experts in the agricultural sector have asserted that Punjab has the potential to cultivate pesticide-free Basmati rice. However, they attribute the continued use of pesticides to the influence of agents representing pesticide manufacturing companies on farmers. Such influence makes it difficult for farmers to envision a crop that does not require any pesticides, despite the promotion of such practices by these companies.
The pesticides in question, including Tricyclazole, Acephate, Carbendazim, Thiamethoxam, Triazofos, Buprofezin, Carbofuron, Propiconazole, and Thiophanate Methyl, are not recommended by Punjab Agriculture University. Their usage has led to higher pesticide residues than the maximum residual level (MRL) set by competent authorities, posing risks to the quality and safety of Basmati rice exports.
Last year, the Punjab government had already initiated efforts to address this issue by announcing a ban on ten insecticides commonly used in Basmati crop cultivation. However, the ban was limited to directions from the state government and did not achieve the desired results. The recent gazetted notification marks a more decisive step by the Punjab government to combat the use of harmful agrochemicals and safeguard the heritage Basmati produce of the state. The move is also aimed at ensuring smoother and hassle-free export of Basmati rice to international markets.
In an effort to find alternatives to the banned pesticides, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Ludhiana has recommended using agrochemicals with lower residue effects. Implementing these alternatives could help restore the confidence of foreign importers in Punjab’s Basmati rice and secure the state’s position as a significant player in the global Basmati rice export industry.