General Part-1

Technology Code:-	:	201713530386374
Organization Details...
Subject Matter Division	:	{{smdOb.smdName}}
Organization Name	:	{{orgOb.orgName}} ,{{orgOb.City}}
AICRP name if any (AICRP)	:	All Not Applicable {{aicrpOb.aicrpName}}
Division name if any	:	Social Science section
Details of Inventors..
Principal Inventor	:	Dr. Santhosh J Eapen
Principal Inventor Designation:	:	Principal Scientist
Principal Inventor Email	:	sjeapen@gmail.com
Principal Inventor Address	:	ICAR-IISR, Marikunnu PO, Kozhikode - 673 012
Co-Inventor Name	:	Lijo Thomas, C M Senthilkumar, Praveena R, Leela N K, Anees K
Co-Inventor Email	:	Lijo.Thomas@icar.gov.in,Senthilkumar.CM@icar.gov.in,Praveena.R@icar.gov.in,Leela.NK@icar.gov.in,Anees.Kaprakkaden@icar.gov.in
Technology Name	:	Policy Brief titled “The Pesticide dilemma in spices sector: Espousing an enabling policy environment”
Technology Details..
Major resource	:	All Not Applicable {{majorOb.majreName}}
Minor Subject Classification	:	All Not Applicable {{minorOb.minorName}}
Minor Subject Sub Classification	:	All Not Applicable {{minorOb.minorsubName}}
Technology Group	:	All Not Applicable {{techgroup.tecg_group_name}}
Technology Related To	:	All Not Applicable {{techrela.tr_name}}
Complete Details of Technology:	:
Agrochemicals play an important role in enhancing crop productivity by overcoming the losses caused by pests, diseases and weeds. Chemical pesticide consumption in the country was 62.2 thousand tonnes of pesticides (technical grade material) during 2020-21, an increase of about 32 per cent from the consumption levels during 2000-01. A total of 299 pesticides having 792 pesticide formulations have been registered for use in the country as on 01 July, 2021. Amidst this backdrop, it is important to keep the risks from use of plant protection chemicals within acceptable levels to maximize the benefits from their use. The necessity to address food safety problems, both real and perceived, is also gaining prominence across the globe. This concern is clearly espoused in the case of spices where the existence of complex food commodity chains along with the globalized systems of distribution and possibility of significant time lag between production and consumption obscure the product pathways. Spice commodities have remained an indispensable part of human civilization as food additives, flavouring substances, preservatives and for use in traditional medicines. India has a special status at the global level as the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices. One of the major food safety concerns regarding spices produced in India relates to pesticide residues and the presence of non-recommended pesticides in the produce. Apart from the significance of the issue at the domestic level, it also has implications at the international trade level since the spices from the country have a global reach. The spice exports from the country reached more than 185 countries during 2019-20 (Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 2021). The global reach of spices from India and specific nature of spice commodity value chains makes it important to ensure food safety along the entire value chain. In this policy brief, we discuss the nature of pesticide regulatory regime in India and its consequences on spices, which form a unique segment within the food sector.
Brief Description of Technology Including Salient Features:
The policy brief contains the following aspects Status and trends of pesticide use in India The pesticide regulation framework in India Pesticide use in spices: context and status Key issues and consequences of pesticide use regime in spice crops Information on Number of pesticide formulations approved in major spices Information on plant protection chemicals found effective for various pest and diseases in spice crops Analysis of reasons behind low registration of pesticides for use in spice cultivation Discussion on how this issue can be addressed The following measures are suggested • There is an urgent need to enhance the number of registered pesticides and setting up of MRL values for the pesticides used in spices. As the cost involved in getting pesticide formulations registered for each and every crop would be prohibitive, expansion of label claims of existing pesticide formulations need to be explored and expedited. •Decentralization of pesticide registration need to be considered as a policy alternative to increase the number of registered pesticides. Institutions like commodity boards and commodity focused research institutes can be given this mandate . • Considering the time and cost involved in generating data for label expansion and fixing MRLs, it would be also prudent to fast track these processes in spices. Methodology to fix MRLs based on the monitoring data available from existing pesticide monitoring data can be standardized and approved. Alternately, actual daily intake (ADI) of spices being very low, risk assessment of pesticides based modern approaches like Hazard Index (HI) should be explored. • The crop grouping approach to develop MRL values for spices need to be pursued vigorously. • Collaboration among key spice producing countries need to be actively pursued to explore the possibility of data sharing and fast tracking the approval/ registration of pesticides and fixing of country MRLs based on prior approvals and standards in other producing countries. • • At present there are only 31 NABL accredited laboratories under the central sector scheme “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level”. This is grossly inadequate. Hence it is imperative to enhance the number of accredited test laboratories by including crop specific laboratories in the public sector to monitor pesticide residues. • A focussed approach to promote biopesticides, which are proved globally safe to human beings and the environment, needs to be implemented to address the lack of registered chemical pesticides.
Web Location/URL, if any	:	http://spices.res.in/pages/policy-brief
Benefits/Utility	:
The policy brief is an attempt to bring together and enunciate the key aspects of the pesticide policy in the country with special focus on the spices sector. The document examines the drawbacks of the existing policy and the adverse outcomes arising from these lacunae. The key aspects are • The low number of registered pesticides in spices due to limited crop geographical spread and low business potential • The absence of country level MRL values even for some of the approved pesticides • The trade barriers erected by the spice export trade partners leading to significant export rejections • The analysis of food safety impact of the residues found in spices during trans- border monitoring and national monitoring systems, especially due to their low per capita intake and the extant levels of Acceptable daily intake of pesticides. • Practical difficulties faced by the pesticide industry in registering the new molecules and the issue of label claim expansion • The relevant steps taken by institutional stakeholders to address the issue. • Practical ways to establish a safe and sustainable pesticide use canvas in case of spices. We find that the current level of pesticide use in spices in India is at a level which does not compromise food safety and it is the regulatory environment that needs to adapt to facilitate the farmers in using proper plant protection choices. The policy brief need institutional backing at the national level to highlight the plight of spice farmers at the international level.
Precaution With The Technology	:	-
Time Of Application Use	:	NA
How To Use	:
It is a policy document
Impact, If Adopted	:
The policy brief highlights the food safety of spices produced in India. The policy brief such as the current one will give the policy makers at the national level and those representing the country at international fora to make and develop a strong case of Indian spices. The primary producers will be benefited by the increased facilitation of spice exports and availability of better and effective choices for plant protection.
Social Impact	:
The policy brief highlights the food safety of spices produced in India. The policy brief such as the current one will give the policy makers at the national level and those representing the country at international fora to make and develop a strong case of Indian spices. The primary producers will be benefited by the increased facilitation of spice exports and availability of better and effective choices for plant protection.
Technology Spread	:
Policy brief hosted in Institute website
TargetUsers/Stake holders	:	• Policy planners in Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, GoI • Spices Board, Ministry of Commerce, GoI • Organizations like World Spice Organization • Indian Council of Agricultural Research • Spice exporters associations • FSSAI • Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage
Technology Contact..
Name	:	Director
Email	:	director@spices.res.in,director.spices@icar.gov.in
Phone Number	:	0495-2730294
Fax Number	:	0495-2731187
Address	:	ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research,Marikunnu P.O.,Calicut-673012
Alternate Contact..
Name	:	Lijo Thomas
Email	:	Lijo.Thomas@icar.gov.in
Phone No	:	8589902677
Keyword for Technology	:	policy, spices, pesticide regulation, food safety

Technology Development Details Part-2

Project Details (Through which technology was developed)	:	Institute project code: Eco. IV (813) Project title: Developing models and strategies for enhancing technology and policy impact in spices sector
Time of Initiation Technology Development	:	6-2020
Time of Completion Technology Development	:	1-2022
Technology Validated by	:	Within ICAR
Technology Validation Details..
Subject Matter Division	:	{{smdOb.smdName}}
Organization Name(if within ICAR)	:	ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research,Calicut
Organization Name(if outside ICAR,Please enter)	:
Year of Validation(YYYY)	:	1-2022
Year of Release/Adoption(YYYY)	:	7-2023
Release Reference Number	:	ICAR-AEXT-IISR-Policy papaer-2023-024

Applies To(Regional Differentiation)Inform Part-3

Location...
Zone(As per the planning commission)	:	All Not Applicable {{zone.planningzoneName}}
Sub zone(As per the planning commission)	:	All Not Applicable {{zonesub.agroName}}, {{zonesub.Region}}
AgroEcological Zone(NBSS & LUP)	:	All Not Applicable {{agrozone.nbssaerName}}
AgroEcological Sub Zone(NBSS & LUP)	:	All Not Applicable {{agrosubzone.nbssaesrName}}
State Name	:	All Not Applicable {{state.stateName}}
District Name	:	All Not Applicable {{dist.distName}}
Soil Type/Resource Type..
Soil Order	:	All Not Applicable {{soilorder.soilorderName}}
Soil Sub Order	:	All Not Applicable {{soilsuborder.soilsubName}}
Soil great group	:	All Not Applicable {{soilgreat.soilgreatName}}
Soil great sub group	:	All Not Applicable {{soilgreatsub.soilgreatsubName}}
Commodity Details..
Commodity	:	All Not Applicable {{commodity.commodityName}}
Commodity Type	:	All Not Applicable {{commoditytype.commoditytypeName}}
Commodity Name	:	All Not Applicable {{commodityname.commodityName}}

Publication Related To Technology Part-4

Technical Bulletin information..

1. Santhosh J Eapen, Lijo Thomas, CM Senthilumar, Praveena , Leela N K and Anees K (2022). Policy Brief titled “The Pesticide dilemma in spices sector: Espousing an enabling policy environment”., Director, ICAR-IISR, ICAR-IISR Policy Brief No. 2.