Pesticides Manufacturers Association (PMA) has demanded of the government to withdraw Statutory Regulatory Order relating to packing, distribution of pesticides and an applicable pesticides policy be announced forthwith otherwise 13,000 people attached with this business would render jobless, said Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Chairman of Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA) here on Tuesday.
He said that more than 40 refilling stations would be closed. He alleged that bureaucracy was taking such steps at the behest of Multinational pesticides companies to crush the Generic companies which are supplying pesticides on the cheapest rates to the farmers.
He alleged that fresh SRO was nothing than destroying the local industry. He said that India was manufacturing the pesticides but we are still at the stage of formulation.
He said that SRO made it mandatory for the importers to establish a modern laboratory in Pakistan with heavy expenditure. While a laboratory which established in past with an estimated cost of Rs 10 million is still without a chemist and technician.
He further said that General Zia-ul-Haq had asked the multinational pesticides companies to cut their product by ten percent but they refused, but we reduced the prices of pesticides by 90 percent and we supplied the pesticides at Rs 400 which were available at Rs 4000.