Kochi: The Indian Cardamom Research Institute of Spices Board has begun organising 'Spice Clinics' every wednesday in major cardamom growing areas to advise farmers on judicious use of pesticides.
There is an urgent need to educate farmers on various aspects of pesticide application including dosages, time of application, precautions to be taken, methods of storage and disposal of containers etc was felt in view of the reported health hazards, spices board said in a press release here.
The price boom in cardamom markets is tempting at least a section of cardamom farmers to resort to indiscriminate application of pesticides. There are media reports about labourers falling ill due to mixing and spraying of spurious chemicals.
Farmers are using lot of pesticides which are not recommended for cardamom plantations and it is tried by the farmers based on advice from pesticide dealers and so called consultants .
ICRI has developed a Good Agriculture Package(GAP) which prescribes the correct insectide dose and time of application. The Director requested the farmers to consult scientists of ICRI/ Kerala Agriculture University/ Spices Board field
officers or Agriculture Officers of Krishi Bhavans for clearing doubts rather than trusting the fellow farmers or consultants on pesticides.
The Spices Board has conducted one day awareness programme on safer use of pesticide for educating estate owners,supervisors and labourers on dec 28.
Inaugurating the programme, Dr J Thomas, Director (Research) highlighted
the social problems occuring in the fragile ecosystem of Cardamom Hill reserve due to unethical pesticide usage.
Dr S Varadarajan, Senior Scientist detailed on the precautions and hygenic measures to be observed during pesticide application. He emphasised adherence to the safe waiting period after each pesticide application. Good quality
cardamom which doesn t have pesticide residue is the neeed of the hour as the importing countries such as Japan has already rejected cardamom containing Triazophos & Prophenophos.
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