Status of Chemical pesticides

use and their regulation in Nepal

Dilli Ram Sharma, PhD

Chief

Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre

NEPAL:PESTICIDE LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL SET UP

Pesticide Act in 1991

Pesticide Rules and Regulations in 1993

Enforcement initiated in 1994

First amendment of Regulation 2064(2007)

Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre took over the role of

pesticide registration and management and implement the regulation of

pesticides and Plant Protection.

Plant Protection Officer from AGK in each district (total 77) designated as

pesticide inspector.

USE OF PESTICIDES:

•Introduced in Nepal in 1950s for malaria eradication.

• Mostly use in high value and vegetable crops.

Source: Sharma, 2015

Adverse effect of hazardous pesticides

Pest resistance

Resurgence of pests

Toxic residues in food, water, air and soil

Pollution to environment

Elimination of natural enemies

Disruption of eco-system

Poisoning

PESTICIDES PROBLEMS

Improper handling

Improper storage

Improper transport

Unsound disposal Methods

Environment

pollution

Chronic Acute

Poisoning Health hazards

CONSUMPTION OF PESTICIDES

396gm a.i./ha

The consumption pattern of pesticides in different countries

S.N. Country Pesticide use active ingredient(ai) kg/ha

1 Japan 10.8

2 Europe 1.9

3 USA 1.5

4 India 0.481

5 Latin America 0.22

6 Oceania 0.20

7 Africa 0.13

8 Argentina 0.295

9 Turkey 0.298

10 Indonesia 0.575

11 Thailand 1.367

12 Mexico 1.375

13 Republic of Korea 16.559

14 Hungary 12.573

15 Italy 13.355

16 China 2.0-2.5

17 Nepal 0.396 Source: Arora et al., 2011

Top 10 Pesticide Consuming Countries of The World Rank Country Annual Pesticide

Consumption (mt)

1 China 1,806000

2 United States 386000

3 Argentina 265000

4 Thailand 87000

5 Brazil 76000

6 Italy 63000

7 France 62000

8 Canada 54000

9 Japan 52000

10 India 40000

56 77

108

196

146 152 177 176

154 131 132

347 356

211

335 345

410

455

550 574

635

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Trends of Pesticide Import by year Mt.

Year

Mt.

Trends of Pesticide Import

Registered Pesticide in Nepal (Upto 2018/12/15)

SN Pesticide Category Common Name Trade Name

1. Insecticide 60 1635

2. Fungicide 42 746

3. Bactericide 1 17

4. Herbicide 30 436

5. Acaricide 6 28

6. Molluscicide 1 2

7. Rodenticide 2 38

8. Biopesticide 14 113

9. Herbal 13 1

Total 169 3034

Status of Extremely & Highly Hazardous Pesticides Registered in Nepal

WHO

Class

Pesticide

Category

Common Name CAS No LD 50

(mg/kg)

No. of Trade

Name Regd.

Ib Insecticide Dichlorvos 62-73-7 56 78

Ib Carbofuran 1563-66-2 8 38

II Insecticide Carbaryl 63-25-2 300 1

II Insecticide Triazophos 24017-47-8 82 54

II Herbicide Paraquat

dichloride

1910-42-5 150 17

Ib (GHS 1)

Rodenticide Bromadiolone 28772-56-7 0.2-3.0 13

Ib Rodenticide Zinc Phosphide 1314-84-7 45 16

U Fungicide Benomyl 17804-35-2 >10000 1

Total 7 218

S.N. Description Number

1. Pesticide registered till December

2018 (Trade name) 3034

2. Pesticide registered till December

2018 (Common name) 169

3. License holder (Retailers) 11777

4. Trained personnel (safe storage

and use) 11159

5. Formulators (13th March 2013 5

6. License on spraying 19

7 Importer 160

Pesticide brief data 2017/18

LIST OF BANNED PESTICIDES IN NEPAL

S.N. Name of pesticides Year

1 Chlordane 2001

2 Dieldrin 2001

3 Aldrin 2001

4 Mirex 2001

5 Lindane 2001

6 Phosphamidon 2001

7 DDT 2001

8 Endrin 2001

9 Heptachlor 2001

10 BHC 2001

11 Organo mercury 2001 Fungicids

S.N. Name of pesticides Year

12 Toxaphene 2001

13 Monochrotophos 2006

14 Methyle parathion 2006

15. Endosulfan 2012

16. Phorate 2015

17 Carbofuran 2019

18 Dichlorvos 2019

19 Triazophos 2019

20 Carbaryl 2019

21. Benomyl 2019

Ecological Belt Total

Pesticide

applied (a.i.

kg)

Percentage Quantity

(a.i.

kg/ha)

High hill 23.83 4 0.085

Hill 114.4 20 0.314

Terai 342.4 59 0.995

Valley 94.22 17 0.470

Total 574.9 100 -

Ecological Scenario of Pesticide Use

PPD, 2015

Regions Total

pesticides

applied(kg)

Percentage Quantity(a.i

.kg/ha)

FWDR 31.27 5.43 0.146

MWDR 45.66 7.94 0.225

WDR 66.35 11.53 0.276

CDR 261.50 45.48 1.015

EDR 170.19 29.62 0.616

Total 574.97 100

Regional Scenario

PPD, 2015

Crops Total

Pesticide

a.i.kg

Total Area

(ha)

Quantity

(a.i.kg/ha)

Cereals 43.975 953.379 0.046125

Vegetables 513.967 320.290 1.604693

Cash Crops 12.921 69.266 0.186542

Pulses 2.178 42.916 0.05075

Fruits 1.952 66.880 0.029187

Total 574.993 1452.730

Pesticide Consumption by Crop

PPD, 2015

Areas of pesticide problems in Nepal • Overdose and frequent application of pesticides in cotton, tea

and commercial vegetable farming areas along with cocktail spray

• Use of insecticide particularly endosulfan for killing fish in stream and ponds-fisherman’s practice.

• Use of insecticide particularly DDT in the past and dichlorvos and malathion at present for the control of the head louse – public practice.

• Use of insecticide particularly endosulfan on cattle body for the control of mange.

• Use of pesticide treated grains ( supposed to be dumped or buried) for making alcohol (local wine) and also for feeding horses in remote districts.

Contd….

• Dipping green vegetables particularly broad leaf mustard, tomatoes and brinjal ( eggplant) in malathion solution in the evening to keep it fresh and shiny looking and taking the product in the market next morning-farmer’s practice.

• Dipping tomatoes and brinjal (egg plant) in mancozeb solution just before taking it in the market to keep it fresh and shiny looking-farmer’s practice.

• Spraying insecticides on body surface of fish to keep flies while displaying it on the shop for selling-trader’s practice.

• Throwing away date expired pesticides and empty containers in public area (green ground, open area), local streams and drainage/sewage without any hesitation-general practice.

• Use of fumigants particularly aluminium phosphide in the locally made mud bins with loose cover that are kept either in bedroom or in storeroom adjacent to bedroom

Routine base spray

• No any disease and pests infestation

Unsound disposal

Pesticides selling together with foods.

Pesticides are mixing near water source.

Farmer mixing pesticides with barren hand.

Acute poisoning

Pesticide bottles in the river

Preparing to mix pesticides with vegetables( Tomatoes)

Farmer mixing pesticides by barren hand with fertilizer.

85

[VALUE]

Share of chemical pesticide

Vegetable

Other crops

Share of pesticides

Sharma et al., 2015

Use of pesticides by farmers

Source: Sharma, 2015

Use of different pesticides

Sharma et al., 2014

Sharma et al., 2014

Pesticides used by WHO classification

Source: Sharma, 2015

Source of advice

Source: Sharma, 2013

(% farmers)

S.N. Districts Name of

Pockets

Types of Protective measures Protectiv

e

measures

used Mask Cloth Boot Gloves

1 Bara Bhali-

Bhalbariha

8 18 2 2 30

Raghunathpur 10 26 0 4 40

2 Dhading Kewaltar 24 8 4 0 36

Benighat 8 24 8 0 40

3 Kavre Nala 36 12 8 4 60

Kusadevi 24 12 0 4 40

Overall 18.33 16.66 3.66 2.33 41

Protective measures used during application of pesticides

Source: Sharma, 2013

Bad Habits also lead to Pesticide Poisoning

• Nine percent farmers eat or drink during application of pesticides in study areas.

9%

91%

Farmer used to eat/drink during handling of pesticides

Eat/drink

Does not eat/drink

Source: Sharma, 2013

Pattern of use of remaining pesticides also lead to Pesticide Poisoning

Source: Sharma, 2013

S.N. Districts Name of Pockets Farmer's Perceptions

Bisadi( Poison) Ausadhi ( Medicine)

1 Bara Bhali-Bhalbariha 41(82) 9(18)

Raghunathpur 32(64) 18(36)

Tatal 73(73) 27(27)

2 Dhading Kewaltar 22(88) 3(12)

Benighat 15(60) 10(40)

Tatal 37(74) 13(26)

3 Kavre Nala 22(88) 3(12)

Kusadevi 17(68) 8(32)

Tatal 39(78) 11(22)

Overall 149(74.5) 51(25.5)

Perceptions of farmers about the name of pesticides for control of pest.

Figures in parenthesis indicates percentage

Source: Sharma, 2013

Careless of farmers which barrier to trade

Sharma, 2015

Ecologica

l zone

Districts

Aspect of pesticide focus

Label contain

Effectiveness of

pesticide to control the

target pests

Adverse effect of

pesticides on human

health

Adverse

effects of

pesticide on

environment

Expiry date of pesticides

Frequency % Frequency % Frequency % Freque

ncy % Frequency %

Terai Bara 43 43 92 92 18 18 17 17 84 84

Terai

Total

43 43 92 92 18 18 17 17 84 84

Mid hills Dhading 17 34 23 46 1 2 0 0 34 68

Kavre 10 20 29 58 1 2 1 2 12 24

Mid hills

total

27 27 52 52 2 2 1 1 46 46

Grand

Total 70 35 144 72 20 10 18 9 130 65

Farmer's practices while buying the pesticides

Sharma, 2015

Symptom noticed by farmers.

Source: Sharma, 2013

1% 1%

31%

49%

18%

Pesticides disposal practices

Put oil

Store food

Burn/bury

Throw away

Sell to market

Source: Sharma, 2013

• Developing countries use 25 percent of the world’s production of pesticides but have 99 percent of pesticide-related deaths. In rural areas, the percentages of suicides which involve pesticides are:

- 60 percent in China,

- 71 percent in Sri-Lanka,

- more than 90 percent in Malaysia,

- 68 percent in Trinidad and

- 30 percent in India. (Brian, 2005).

• According to WHO, three million acute poisoning cases with 2, 20,000 deaths occur annually throughout the world. Out of these 90 percent of poisoning cases belongs to developing countries particularly among agricultural workers (Dhavai et al, 2011).

Some fact of poisoning cont….

Efforts of PQPMC to Manage Pesticides

• Enforced Pesticide Act/Regulation

• Adoption of International code of conduct.

• Register the imported pesticides

• Banning the pesticides

• Deregistration of hazardous pesticides

• Restriction to use of pesticides

• Licensing to Agro vets

• Rapid Bio-assay Residue Analysis of pesticides Laboratory establish for pesticide monitoring and implementation of regulation.

• Awareness campaign on right use of pesticides.

• Celebrate No Pesticide Use Week.

• Capacity development on management of pesticides to officials and farmers.

• Regulation of SPS measures .

Regulation on Pesticide management

• A NEW PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT ACT 2075 IS APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT

• A NEW PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT ACT 2075 IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPROVE FROM UPPER HOUSE.

Main points proposed in to the new Pesticide Act 2075

• Definition of pesticide harmonized as FAO code of conduct.

• Provision of registration of bio-pesticides and gave priority to register bio-pesticides.

• Provision of facilitate warehouse for storing the date expire, band and obsoleted pesticides in 7 province.

• Date expire, band and other spoiled pesticides should bring back in the same company(country) by importer.

• Producers are also given responsibility about no residue products produce and bring in to the market.

• Provision of pesticide quality and research laboratory establishment.

• Provision of disposal of safe pesticides.

• Provision of province pesticide committee.

• Provision on punishment:

Minimum: 25 thousands and one month prison.

Maximum: 2 lakhs and one year prison.

Conclusion and Recommendations • PQPMC implement Pesticide Act/Regulation for pesticide management in the country.

• Hazardous pesticides are banding and need to be banned.

• Discourage to use WHO Ia and Ib class pesticides.

• Large scale mass campaign should be carried out to make farmer aware of the potential harm to the human health and the environment.

• Organize intensively training about the safe handling of pesticides to the Agro vets and farmers.

• The alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides (mostly biological means) should be encouraged for pest suppression in agriculture.

• The governments should give emphasis on research and extension activities related to IPM and continuity of IPM program for minimizing the use of chemical pesticides.

• The pesticide regulations should be enforced properly.

• The agricultural extension workers should have proper training in crop protection especially about the safe handling of pesticides.

• OP Group, Rodenticides and Carbamates pesticides should not be sold without prescriptions.

• Minimize the poisoning cases by advocacy about proper handling the pesticides.

• New Pesticide Act has been tabled in parliament and hopefully implement very soon.

• New pesticides Act will encourage to solve some problems of pesticides and minimize the haphazard use of pesticides. .