India Pesticides Market is Growing. But is it Growing Fast Enough?
Despite large scale
agricultural reforms, basic farming tools such as pesticides and fertilizers
remain underutilised
There
is much concern in India over the fact that the agriculture sector in the
country doesn’t take into consideration the science behind crop production.
Agricultural sector in India continues to remain traditional in nature, either
bereft of products such as fertilizers products and India pesticides market products, or too
dependent on unscientific opinions when deciding on optimum quantities of the
same. Notwithstanding the politics and economics behind the issue, there is no
second thought about the fact that India’s agricultural sector remains in deep
distress and one of the only ways forward is through adequate use of
technology. India’s fertility rates, relative to arable land, are shockingly
low. India, for rice production, has a yield rate of 2.4 tonnes per hectare,
which lands India in 27th place out of 47 countries. By comparison, China and
Brazil have yield rates of 4.7 t/ha and 3.6 t/ha, respectively. Smart usage of India pesticides
market products and application of technology will definitely see at least some
shift to the positive.
While
yields are extremely low, the progress made towards improvement of soil
fertility has proved of some help; yield rates in India are improving much
faster than most other large, agriculture based economies. Moreover, an
increasing number of initiatives are being taken by different NGOs, India pesticides market players
etc. to spread awareness among farmers and to educate them regarding cropping
patterns, optimum use of water and pesticides, soil aeration techniques,
fertilizer use etc. in order to improve their crop yield. The Indian government
is also looking at long term overhaul of the current agricultural capacity by
implementing soil health cards, crop insurance schemes etc.
While yields are extremely low, the progress
made towards improvement of soil fertility has proved of some help; yield rates
in India are improving much faster than most other large, agriculture based
economies. Moreover, an increasing number of initiatives are being taken by
different NGOs, pesticide manufacturing companies etc. to spread awareness
among farmers and to educate them regarding cropping patterns, optimum use of
water and pesticides, soil aeration techniques, fertilizer use etc. in order to
improve their crop yield. The Indian government is also looking at long term
overhaul of the current agricultural capacity by implementing soil health
cards, crop insurance schemes etc.
However, as per TechSci Research report “India Pesticides Market, Competition
Forecast & Opportunities, 2012-2026”, pesticides remain, apart from
fertilizers, one of the essential production enhancement tools in the farmers’
arsenal. While TechSci experts expect the India pesticides market to cross $5
billion by 2026, the rate at which production and consumption of pesticides is
growing is relatively modest, standing at just over 7%. Pesticides will reduce
the number of Indians dependent on farming, who can then seek employment in
other sectors, thus providing a boost to the Indian GDP. Furthermore, it will
help produce a sustainable land use strategy. Current policy makers are
crippled due to dearth of land to build on, given that over 60% Indian land is currently
devoted to agriculture, nearly double the global average of 37%. Given the
finite amount of habitable land, slowly increasing population is starting to
put pressure on the current non-agricultural land leading to high levels of
population density, which bring about their own problems. A reduction in excess
arable land can only be brought forth through productivity enhancement
procedure, which include smart usage of pesticides and fertilizers, among other
basic tools needed by the modern-day farmer to thrive.
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