Provincial Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial has said that all stakeholders are under one roof in Punjab Pesticides Conference 2020 which will provide an opportunity collectively to resolve problems regarding maintaining quality of pesticides, regulatory affairs and other issues. By holding this conference, public and private sectors will be on the same page in order to cope up with the challenges and resolving problems confronting the farmers. He expressed these views while participating as a chief guest in the conference. Secretary Agriculture Wasif Khursheed, Addl. Secretary Taskforce Agriculture Rana Ali Arshad and DG Agriculture (Ext), concerned officers and representatives of pesticides companies also participated in the conference. Malik Nauman Langrial said that 176 pesticide inspectors are performing their duties in order to check quality of pesticides but still complaints of farmers persist regarding pesticides. Under the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, present government after coming into power has started taking actions against persons found involved in doing business of fake and substandard pesticides and fertilizers through agriculture taskforce. The Minister further said that he feels pleased to inform that for the first time in the history “Complaint Management System” has been introduced for the facilitation of farmers. Farmers and masses can register their complaints through SMS/ Whatsapp on contact No.0300-2955539 against elements selling fake pesticides. He also vowed that action will be taken immediately against such elements on receiving the complaints or information within 24 hours.
Secretary Agriculture Wasif Khursheed on this occasion said that usage of pesticides has been initiated in 1954 in Pakistan. The trade volume of pesticides is more than 67 billion rupees. The usage of pesticides in Punjab is 88.3 percent, 8.2 percent in Sindh and 2.8 percent in KPK and Balochistan. The minister further directed that in order to resolve these problems, imparting training and guidance to the farmers is the responsibility of Agriculture Department and pesticides industry, he concluded.