The government has allocated Rs 2.518 million in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2007-08 to set-up "Pesticide Quality Control and Research Laboratories" in Balochistan.
Official sources in Ministry of Food, Agriculture and livestock (Minfal) on Tuesday said the government was enhancing its efforts to stop adulteration in pesticide and fertilisers in the country. He said adulteration in agri-pesticide was a big problem, which badly affected the performance of the agri sector.
He said estimated cost of this project was Rs 19.262 million and an amount of Rs 14.121 million has been spent so far, he said. "To address such problems Members National Assembly proposed some amendments in the ordinance, which would be presented for approval in next session of National Assembly", he added.
The members suggested that jail term should be increased from 3 years to 10 years to discourage adulteration in pesticides. He said pesticides are regulated through the Agriculture Ordinance and the responsibility of registration, permission for import and quality control is vested with the Federal government and executed through the Department of Plant Protection. While giving details about registration, sources informed that pesticides registered under the trade name (Form1) after efficacy evaluation trails of two crops seasons by at least two agencies.