Salil Singhal, CMD, PI Industries Ltd. on the challenges of the pesticides sector
Having been associated with agriculture since 1967, Salil Singhal, CMD, PI Industries has a lot to talk about in a free flowing interview with Niharika Patra
B&E: What actually is the flaw with Indian agriculture?
Salil Singhal (SS): The input side of agriculture has issues. For example, if you compare the production to pesticides usage, India has a total cropped area of around 167 million hectares while the US has around 172 million hectares. In pesticides consumption, US figure is around $7 billion while for India it is $1.2 billion. Because of poor use of pesticides we are loosing crop to the tune of $20 billion per annum. The cost benefit ratio in agriculture is very high to the tune of Rs. 19 per Re.1 employed for some crops, and if you compare the $ 22 billion in fertilizer subsidies, we have grown the crops for the pests to eat it away. There are many other problems like procedures of introducing new seeds, the distribution of subsidies et al. There seems to be little focus.
B&E: How do you compare the era of 60’s and present. Do you think there has been any kind of deterioration?
SS: No. Undoubtedly, the Green Revolution gave us a lot. Today, even without favourable conditions we can produce 210-230 million tonnes of foodgrains. But looking at the changing food habits, what we have is not enough to satisfy this ever changing need. We have to double our food grain output and agricultural output resource to be able to do that. But we are not geared for that right now and agriculture needs structural changes.
B&E: What is the focus of the pesticide industry in relation to the productivity of the crop?
SS: Cost benefit is a very important input. The second important input is quality output. Organic farming doesn’t work for quality. Petsicides can give quality with high productivity and that is our focus.
Having been associated with agriculture since 1967, Salil Singhal, CMD, PI Industries has a lot to talk about in a free flowing interview with Niharika Patra
B&E: What actually is the flaw with Indian agriculture?
Salil Singhal (SS): The input side of agriculture has issues. For example, if you compare the production to pesticides usage, India has a total cropped area of around 167 million hectares while the US has around 172 million hectares. In pesticides consumption, US figure is around $7 billion while for India it is $1.2 billion. Because of poor use of pesticides we are loosing crop to the tune of $20 billion per annum. The cost benefit ratio in agriculture is very high to the tune of Rs. 19 per Re.1 employed for some crops, and if you compare the $ 22 billion in fertilizer subsidies, we have grown the crops for the pests to eat it away. There are many other problems like procedures of introducing new seeds, the distribution of subsidies et al. There seems to be little focus.
B&E: How do you compare the era of 60’s and present. Do you think there has been any kind of deterioration?
SS: No. Undoubtedly, the Green Revolution gave us a lot. Today, even without favourable conditions we can produce 210-230 million tonnes of foodgrains. But looking at the changing food habits, what we have is not enough to satisfy this ever changing need. We have to double our food grain output and agricultural output resource to be able to do that. But we are not geared for that right now and agriculture needs structural changes.
B&E: What is the focus of the pesticide industry in relation to the productivity of the crop?
SS: Cost benefit is a very important input. The second important input is quality output. Organic farming doesn’t work for quality. Petsicides can give quality with high productivity and that is our focus.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
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