In a major step to improve the export potential of basmati rice, the state government has imposed a complete ban on 11 pesticides commonly used on basmati crops. The decision comes after several export consignments were flagged for having pesticide residues beyond the permissible limits, affecting farmers’ income and global market access.
Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Gurnam Singh said that farmers were struggling to get good prices due to the rejection of rice shipments in international markets. To tackle this, the government has decided to prohibit the use of the following pesticides on basmati crops:
Acephate, Buprofezin, Chlorpyrifos, Carbofuran, Propiconazole, Thiamethoxam, Profenophos, Imidacloprid, Carbendazim, Tricyclazole, Tebuconazole, and all their formulations or combinations.
Dr. Singh also appealed to farmers to cooperate and avoid using these chemicals on their basmati fields. He added that pesticide dealers can still sell these products for other crops, but they must clearly mention the name of the crop on the bill or cash memo.
All pesticide dealers across the district have been instructed to maintain a complete record of the sale of these banned chemicals. The move aims to safeguard Punjab’s reputation in the global basmati market and ensure better returns for farmers through quality compliance.
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