Bogus bio-pesticides taking heavy toll of adivasi farmers in Telangana

KOTHAGUDEM: The availability and sale of spurious bio-pesticides in various names in the agency mandals are turning into a financial nightmare for Adivasi farmers.

Almost all fertiliser shops sell bio-pesticides and most of them are fake products as they are made of neem oil formulations (Azadirachtin 300, 500 and 1500 ppm) and Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae. Adivasi farmers are spending lakhs of rupees on those fake products believing them to be genuine ones. Given the massive profit margin in pesticides, fertiliser shops have sprung up even in remote villages. This is more so in Pinapaka, Gundala, Allapalli, Tekulapalli, Mulakalapalli and Tekulapalli mandals of Bhadradri district.

The dealers are exploiting the lack of technical knowledge among farmers, who cannot identify the quality ones from the fakes. They merely trust the dealers.

Although it is the duty of farm officials to check such fake pesticides, there is no such effort at the field level. Biopesticides, canola oil and baking soda are all available under various bogus names.

Sodum Veeraiah, a farmers’ leader in Pinapaka, said “We were informed that the bio-pesticides used against insects are not yielding the desired results. The government should thoroughly check bio-pesticides before they enter the market. There are allegations that some of the companies are producing fake products by clubbing various oils in it”.

It is unclear whether these products are coming from licensed companies working out from small sheds. Horticulture officer Sandeep Kumar said “The spore count, efficacy and efficiency of the chemical pesticide or the bio-pesticide product should be checked before they are released into the market. The farmers rely on the dealer.”