When crop losses, due to pests, stand at almost Rs 120,000 crore, and to control pests we spray chemical pesticides worth Rs 35,000 crore, it is a sensible move to rethink the way in which we have been using chemicals in farming.

In our desperate attempt to attain high production to feed an ever-growing population,we have ended up relying heavily, as well as recklessly, on excessive use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Though we have achieved the target to an extent, the quality of soil has been reduced and the food we consume has been turned to mild poison. When the country’s crop losses, due to pests, stand at almost Rs 120,000 crore annually, and to control the pests we spray chemical pesticides worth Rs 35,000 crore annually, it is a sensible move on our part to rethink the way in which we have been using chemicals in farming.