Showing posts with label Indian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Agriculture Sector The Backbone Of Indian Economy

Agriculture has been backbone of Indian economy sine ancient times. Agriculture has been basic occupation for Indian people. Near about 70 percent of population in India is dependent on agriculture for its livelihood. Extremely of fertile land is available in India. Fecund land is favorable for production of fruits, crops, minerals etc. Farmers proceeds care of entire process of agriculture like sowing seeds, harvesting crops, watering, etc. The equipments used for plough, tractor, bullocks etc. Nowadays farmers are using modern technologies and equipments for agriculture bourn.

India is well known for its agriculture knowledge. People from distant places come here to study agriculture science. Maximal revenue is generated from agriculture sector in India. Farmers in India are well soil, land fertility, quality of seeds, etc. Farmers have knowledge about what to produce and when. In recent past number of poor farmers are committing suicide due to improper cultivation and loss in the field. Government has introduces several schemes and concessions to farmers. Government is also providing education to farmers about how to increase the productivity of land. Initially farmers used the fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds un - proportionally which reduces the productivity of land. Now government is taking care that farmers are educated properly about every activities in farming. Government is taking - care that farmers receive good return from their cultivations.

In present scenario there are many places in India where agriculture is not given importance. People fail to understand the importance of this sector. Very few people select this field as career or occupation. In India farmers are manipulated by middlemens. They just look for commissions and income for themselves but forget the hard work of farmers. Even today in some places farmers are exploited by the landlords. The revenues from agriculture sector have increased after introduction of modern technologies in farming. Now government is also taking several measures to improve this sector. Many changes and improvements are required to increase the revenue generated from this sector.

In small region of India the system of landlords still exists. Farmers take loans from the landlords but fail to return it as less revenue is generated. As a penalty the landlords capture or takeover the land of farmers. Some of the drawbacks in Indian agriculture are improper irrigation facilities, scarcity of essential commodities, and low financial ability of farmers, non availability of quality seeds, fertilizer and chemicals. The result of these entire drawbacks is backwardness of agriculture in India. Considering the serious issued in agriculture sector government is taking several measures to improve the productivity of agriculture sector.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Can Indian Food Suppliers Intensify National Economy On The Whole

If you are blind to of the duplicate, the facts may bob up to you as something amazing but it is a reality. It is true for both of the United States of America and Canada along with several countries of Asia, certainly India.

There have been debates in the Indian political and economic scenarios for decades on one and only issue which sector among agriculture and industry would get greater emphasis from the Indian government. Proportionate if none can deny the significance and nitty-gritty roles played by the industry, disregard of agriculture does amount to self - annihilation only. However, late it is, realization is always good and the Indian governance has also comprehended the true importance of agriculture in a nations development. On account of the same, the role of Indian food suppliers has intensified than ever before.

Only a few people comprehend that the governance instead of private enterprises does play the most crucial role in the intensification of a nations economy. The market reforms have undoubtedly changed Indias fiscal direction and it has become an economic giant of Asia instead of a developing country of the erstwhile decades. But the governments greater emphasis on agriculture has also played a greater role in this regard and the best specimen of the same happens to be the better roles played by Indian food exporters.

An assortment of studies conducted in the recent years does confirm that the saga of Indian food exports is on the rise and as per fiscal pundits; it may outshine the other giants of Asia. There is another reason behind this mounting success. The demand of Indian foods in the other parts of the world owing to the presence of a wide - ranging Indian Diaspora, internet and fame of Indian cuisine is rising steadily. And the Indian food exporters are keeping no stone unturned to capitalize on this changing reality. The graph of Indian food exporters is indeed rising and the greatest beneficiary is none other than India itself.

Nevertheless, there is a question too. How long will this chronicle continue? Whatever may be the graph of burgeoning success of Indian food suppliers in the external market, its domestic front is getting more and more vulnerable to the recurrent onslaughts of MNCs ( multi - national corporations ). MNCs, at the moment, together with their mega departmental stores containing all forms of novel amenities including foreign - made food products are becoming a cause of concern to the Indian food suppliers.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Indian Astrology And Its Importance In India

Jyotisha is the common confabulation used for the Hindu astrology system. This astrology system is being used by Indian astrologers for centuries now. Astrology There have been many great astrologers and mathematicians who predicted the future by near whole rectness.

Jyotisha one of the six Vedangas mentioned in the Upnishads ( There are more than a dozen Upnishads which are the oldest and the most important philosophical Hindu texts for Hindu religion. ) The other Vedangas are Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chhandas.

Jyotishais thereupon divided in the following branches on the basis of predictions -

Siddhanta - This is accustomed Indian astronomy in which the predictions were based on the regious literatures and their implementations.

Samhita and Medini Jyotisha - Both these branches are being used for making predictions based on the events that revenue position in the country or the locations. This includes the behavior of general people living in the particular area and country ' s horoscope. The main events taken into consideration are hostility, earthquake, flood or drought, political events, commercial activities related events, real estate related events and animal ' s behavior in the particular country or location the predictions are being made for.

Hora - This is yet another branch which is used for making the predictions based on the birth charts and horoscopes of the individual. The Hora has 19 aspects of its own which helps in making the prediction for the particular individual. These aspects are -

Natal astrology, Muhurtha, Swara Shastra, Prashna, Ankjyotisha, Nadi atsrology, Tajika astrology, Jaimini sutras, Shakuna Shastra, Swapna Vidya, Kapala Vidya, Kapala Vidya, Akriti Vidya, Kerala Jyotisha, Remedial astrology, Nastjatakam, Streejataka, Graha Samudriki, Hasta Rekha

These three branches are also classified in two categories. These are Phalita ( which includes Samhita and Hora ) and the Ganita which includes the Siddhanta.

Since the astrology has been closely related to the Hindu religion, this has become one of the most important in deciding when to start any business or work or take some constructive initiative so that the efforts would result in the success in the new starting. The foundation of astrology is result of studies of Vedas and behavior of general people over the time. This establishes a connection between the microcosm ( human ) and the macrocosm ( god ). The Indian astrology is based on the sidereal zodiac and not the tropical zodiac which is used in the western astrology. Jyotisha also includes the motion of the Moon which is not the part of Hellenstic astrology.

Hindu people name their children on the basis of there natal charts which are also called birth charts. In indian culture, Jyotisha has become the important part of many organizations, calendars, and in many areas of life which includes: making decision of marriage, Match Making opening a new business, entering a new home, travelling, worships etc. Most of the business houses, political parties, and people have accepted Jyotisha as one of the most important thing to consider before starting or making any decision. astrology ( Jyotisha ) is now part of many universities in India and is becoming popular subject for in depth study of human behavior and predictions which can be made on the basis of this.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

IMPACT OF PESTICIDE USE ON INDIAN AGRICULTURE, HUMAN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION: - Tremendous benefits have been derived from the use of pesticides in forestry, public health and the private sphere - and, of course, in agriculture, a sector upon which the Indian economy is largely dependent. An area of 169 million hectares consists of permanently cropped land. Food grain production, which stood at a mere 50 million tonnes in 1948 - 49, had increased halfway fourfold to 198 million tonnes by the end of 1996 - 97. This settlement has been achieved by the use of high - yield varieties of seeds, brand-new irrigation technologies and agricultural chemicals1. The term pesticide covers a wide gamut of compounds including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematocides, plant growth regulators and others. Among these, organochlorine ( OC ) insecticides, used successfully in controlling a symbol of diseases, equaling as malaria and typhus, were banned or proper consequent the 1960s in most of the technologically dewy countries. The introduction of other synthetic insecticides - organophosphate ( OP ) insecticides in the 1960s, carbamates in 1970s and pyrethroids in 1980s and the introduction of herbicides and fungicides in 1970s - 1980s contributed intensely in pest control and agricultural yield. Ideally a pesticide must be lethal to the targetted pests, but not to non - target sort, including man. Unfortunately, this is not so the controversy of use and maltreat of pesticides has surfaced. The rampant use of these chemicals, under the saw, - if insufficient is good, a lot more will be better - has played ruination with human and other life forms. In India, the first report of poisoning due to pesticides was from Kerala in 1958, where over 100 people died touching consuming wheat flour contaminated with parathion2. This prompted the Special Committee on Harmful Effects of Pesticides constituted by the ICAR to polestar further attention on the problem3. Further, Carlson in 1962 warned that OC compounds could pollute the tissues of virtually every life scheme on the earth, the air, the lakes and the oceans, the fishes that live in them and the birds that feed on the fishes4. Later, the US National Academy of Sciences stated that the DDT metabolite, DDE causes eggshell thinning and that the bald eagle population in the United States declined primarily since of exposure to DDT and its metabolites5. Certain environmental chemicals including pesticides termed as endocrine disruptors are recognized to extract their adverse effects by mimicking or antagonising natural hormones in the body and it has been postulated that their long - term, low - dose exposure are increasingly linked to human health effects consonant as immunosuppression, hormone disruption, diminished intelligence, reproductive abnormalities and cancer ( 6 - 8 ).

The pesticide industry in India The production of pesticides started in India in 1952 with the establishment of a plant for the production of BHC near Calcutta, and India is now the second largest manufacturer of pesticides in Asia following China and ranks twelfth globally9. There has been a steady growth in the production of specialized grade pesticides in India, from 5, 000 metric tonnes in 1958 to 102, 240 metric tonnes in 1998. In 1996 - 97 the demand for pesticides in terms of value was estimated to be around Rs. 22 billion ( USD 0. 5 billion ), which is about 2 % of the total world market. The pattern of pesticide usage in India is various from that for the world in general. As can be heuristic from Figure 1, in India 76 % of the pesticide used is insecticide, as against 44 % globally9. The use of herbicides and fungicides is correspondingly less bulky. The main use of pesticides in India is for cotton crops ( 45 % ), followed by paddy and wheat. Figure 1. Consumption design of pesticides

BENEFITS OF PESTICIDES: - Accommodating Productivity: - Similarly outputs and productivity have increased dramatically in most countries, for standard, wheat yields in the United Principality. Corn yields in the USA Increases in productivity have been due to several factors including use of fertiliser, better varieties and use of machinery. Pesticides have been an integral part of the process by reducing losses from the weeds, diseases and pests that can markedly contract the amount of harvestable produce. Winding ( 1998 ) also drew attention to the peacocky increases in crop yields in the United States in the twentieth century. Webster et al. ( 1999 ) stated that " considerable economic losses " would be suffered without pesticide use and quantified the rich increases in yield and economic margin that denouement from pesticide use. Protect Crop losses / yield decrease: - In prop land rice trim under puddle conditions during the critical term warranted an effective and economic weed control practice to prevent a decrease in rice yield due to weeds that ranged from 28 to 48 % based on comparisons that included control ( weedy ) plots. Weeds lower yield of dry land crops by 37 - 79 %. Severe infestation of weeds particularly in early stage of crop establishment ultimately accounts for a yield reduction of 40 %. Herbicides provided an economic and labour free lunch. Suspicion about chemicals in food is fuelling sales of organic crops ( MAF, 2006 ) but it is by no means certain whether organic production could sustain the world ' s growing population ( Oerke, 2004 ). Vector Malady Control: - Vector - borne diseases are most effectively tackled by killing the vector. Insecticides are recurrently the isolated practical way. Insecticides are used to control the insects that spread deadly diseases such as malaria that results in an estimated 5000 deaths each day ( Ross, 2005 ). Bhatia ( 2004 ) wrote that malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing world and a major public health problem in India. Quality of Food: - Increasing evidence ( Dietary Guidelines, 2005 ) shows that eating fruit and vegetables regularly reduces the risk of many cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other chronic diseases. Lewis et al. ( 2004, 2005 ) discussed the nutritional properties of apples and blueberries in the US diet and concluded that their high concentrations of antioxidants act as protectants against cancer, heart disease. Lewis attributed doubling in wild blueberry production and subsequent increases in consumption chiefly to herbicide use that improved weed control. Other area - Transport, Sport Complex, Building: - The transport sector makes extensive use of pesticides, particularly herbicides. Herbicides and insecticides are used to maintain the turf on sports pitches, cricket grounds and golf courses. Insecticides protect buildings and other wooden structures from damage by termites and wood boring insects.

HAZARDS OF PESTICIDES: -

Human Being: - If the credits of pesticides include enhanced economic potential in terms of increased production of food andfibre, and amelioration of vector - borne diseases, then their debits have resulted in serious health implications to man and his environment. There is now overwhelming evidence that some of these chemicals do pose potential risk to humans and other life forms and unwanted sideeffects to the environment ( 17 - 19 ). No segment of the population is completely protected against exposure to pesticides and the potentially serious health effects, though a disproportionate burden is shouldered by the people of developing countries and by high risk groups in each country20. The world - wide deaths and chronic illnesses due to pesticide poisoning number about 1 million per year21.

Potential Risk in Occupationally Exposed Subjects: - The high risk groups exposed to pesticides include the production workers, formulators, sprayers, mixers, loaders and agricultural farm workers. During manufacture and formulation, the ossibility of hazards may be more because the processes involved are not risk free. In industrial settings, the workers are at increased risk since they handle various toxic chemicals including pesticides, raw materials, toxic solvents and inert carriers. Workers exposed to HCH: - A study on workers ( N=356 ) in four units manufacturing HCH revealed neurological symptoms ( 21 % ) which were related to the intensity of exposure22. Formulators exposed to combination of pesticides: - Observations confined to health surveillance in male formulators engaged in production of dust and liquid formulations of various pesticides ( malathion, methyl parathion, DDT and lindane ) in industrial settings of the unorganised sector revealed a high occurrence of generalized symptoms ( headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, irritation of skin and eyes ) besides psychological, neurological, cardiorespiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms coupled with low plasma holinesterase ( ChE ) activity 23. Health effects of methomyl on sprayers: - The magnitude of the toxicity risk involved in the spraying of methomyl, a carbamate insecticide, in field conditions was assessed by the NIOH 24. Significant changes were noticed in the ECG and the levels of serum LDH and ChE activities in the spraymen indicating the cardiotoxic effects of methomyl. Reproductive performance in sprayers: - Data on reproductive toxicity were collected from 1, 106 couples when the males were associated with the spraying of pesticides ( OC, OP and carbamates ) in cotton fields25. Studies in malaria spraymen: - Study was initiated to evaluate the effects of a shortterm 16 week exposure in workers ( N=216 ) spraying HCH in field conditions26. Food Commodities: - The UK Pesticide Residue Committee annual report ( 2002 ) showed that over 70 % of the food in the UK contained no pesticide residues at all and only 1. 09 % contained residues above the statutory maximum residue levels ( MRLs ). It concluded that - none of these residues caused concern for people ' s health -. John Bell, Head of the UK Food Standards Agency, a body that was set up to restore public confidence in food said ( 2005 ) that - Maximum residue levels are generally set well below safety limits. There are no safety concerns or we would take action immediately. " Yet these very small quantities of chemicals in our food, detected at ever lower levels due to increasingly sensitive laboratory equipment, are now easy targets for the media, despite overwhelming evidence that residues pose a very tiny risk to the people who eat farm food ( Brown, 2004, US EPA ), a risk that is anyway far outweighed by the benefits of a diet that includes fresh produce. Impact on Environment: - Pesticides can contaminate soil, water, turf, and other vegetation. In addition to killing insects or weeds, pesticides can be toxic to a host of other organisms including birds, fish, beneficial insects, and non - target plants. Insecticides are generally the most acutely toxic class of pesticides, but herbicides can also pose risks to non - target organisms. Soil Contamination: - Pesticides have various characteristics that determine how they act once in soil. Mobility refers to how much a pesticide will move around in the soil. The half life of a pesticide refers to the length of time it takes for half of the pesticide to degrade. Persistence refers to the length of time until all measurable residues of a pesticide are gone. Surface Water Contamination: - Pesticides can reach surface water through runoff from treated plants and soil. Contamination of water by pesticides is widespread. The results of a comprehensive set of studies done by the U. S. Geological Survey ( USGS ) on major river basins across the country in the early to mid - 90s yielded startling results. More than 90 percent of water and fish samples from all streams contained one, or more often, several pesticides. Pesticides were found in all samples from major rivers with mixed agricultural and urban land use influences, and 99 percent of samples of urban streams28. The USGS also found that concentrations of insecticides in urban streams commonly exceeded guidelines for protection of aquatic life. Twenty - three pesticides were detected in waterways in the Puget Sound Basin, including 17 herbicides. According to USGS, - in general more pesticides were detected in urban streams than in agricultural streams. - 29.

Ground Water Contamination: - Pesticides, including herbicides, can and do leach to contaminate ground water. According to the USGS, at least 143 different pesticides and 21 transformation products have been found in the ground water, including pesticides from every major chemical class. Over the past two decades, detections have been found in the ground water of more than 43 states30. Contamination of ground water is of concern because ground water supplies 50 percent of the U. S. population with Drinkingwater31. Once ground water is polluted with toxic chemicals, it may take many years for the contamination to dissipate or be cleaned up. Cleanup may also be very costly and complex, if not impossible ( 32 - 34 ). Contamination of Air, Soil, and Non - target Vegetation: - Pesticide sprays can directly hit non - target vegetation, or can drift or volatilize from the treated area and contaminate air, soil, and non - target plants. Some pesticide drift occurs during every application, even from ground equipment35. Drift can account for a loss of 2 to 25 % of the chemical being applied, which can spread over a distance of a few yards to several hundred miles. There are thousands of reported complaints of off target spray drift each year in the U. S. 36. Many pesticides can volatilize ( that is, they can evaporate from soil and foliage, move away from the application, and contaminate the environment. ) 37, 38. As much as 80 - 90 percent of an applied pesticide can be volatilized within a few days of application39. Despite the fact that only limited research has been done on the topic, studies consistently find pesticide residues in air. According to the USGS, pesticides have been detected in the atmosphere in all areas of the nation sampled40. Nearly every pesticide investigated has been detected in rain, air, fog, or snow across the nation at different times of the year41. Many pesticides have been detected in air at more than half the sites sampled nationwide. Harmful Effects of Pesticides on Non - target Organisms: - Pesticides are found as common contaminants in soil, air, and water, and on non - target vegetation in our urban landscapes. Once there, they can harm plants and animals ranging from beneficial soil microorganisms and insects, non - target plants, fish, birds, and other wildlife. Beneficial Soil Microorganisms: - One spoonful of healthy soil has millions of tiny organisms including fungi, bacteria, and a host of others. These microorganisms play a key role in helping plants utilize soil nutrients needed to grow and thrive. Microorganisms also help soil store water and nutrients, regulate water flow, and filter pollutants38. The heavy treatment of soil with pesticides can cause populations of beneficial soil microorganisms to decline. According to soil scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham, - If we lose both bacteria and fungi, then the soil degrades. Overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have effects on the soil organisms that are similar to human overuse of antibiotics. Indiscriminate use of chemicals might work for a few years, but after awhile, there aren ' t enough beneficial soil organisms to hold onto the nutrients. - 40.

CONCLUSION: - Pesticides are often considered a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution for controlling weeds and insect pests in urban landscapes. However, pesticide use comes at a significant cost. Pesticides have contaminated almost every part of our environment. Pesticide residues are found in soil and air, and in surface and ground water across the nation, and urban pesticide uses contribute to the problem. Pesticide contamination poses significant risks to the environment and non - target organisms ranging from beneficial soil microorganisms, to insects, plants, fish, and birds. Contrary to common misconceptions, even herbicides can cause harm to the environment. In fact, weed killers can be especially problematic because they are used in relatively large volumes. The best way to reduce pesticide contamination ( and the harm it causes ) in our environment is for all of us to do our part to use safer, nonchemical pest control ( including weed control ) methods.

References: - 1. Employment Information: Indian Labour Statistics 1994. Chandigarh: Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour, 1996. 2. Karunakaran, ( 1958 ), C. O. The Kerala food poisoning. J Indian Med Assoc, 31: 204,. 3. Eds. A. M. Wadhwani and I. J. Lall. ( 1972 ) Harmful Effects of Pesticides. Report of the Special Committee of ICAR, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, p. 44,.

4. Carlson, R. ( 1962 ) Silent Spring. Houghton - Mifflin Co, Boston,.

5. Liroff, R. A. ( 2000 ) Balancing risks of DDT and malaria in the global POPs treaty. Pestic Safety News 4: 3,.

6. Crisp, T. M., Clegg, E. D., Cooper, R. L., Wood, W. P., Anderson, D. G., Baeteke, K. P., Hoffmann, J. L., Morrow, M. S., Rodier, D. J., Schaeffer, J. E., Touart, L. W., Zeeman, M. G. and Patel, Y. M. ( 1998 ) Environmental endocrine disruption: An effects assessment and analysis. Environ Health Perspect, 106: 11,.

7. Hurley, P. M., Hill, R. N. and Whiting, R. J. ( 1998 ) Mode of carcinogenic action of pesticides inducing thyroid follicular cell tumours in rodents. Environ Health Perspect 106: 437,.

8. Brouwer, A., Longnecker, M. P., Birnbaum, L. S., Cogliano, J., Kostyniak, P., Moore, J., Schantz, S. and Winneke, G. ( 1999 ) Characterization of potential endocrine related health effects at lowdose levels of exposure to PCBs. Environ Health Perspect 107: 639,. 9. Mathur, S. C. ( 1999 ) Future of Indian pesticides industry in next millennium. Pesticide Information; XXIV ( 4 ): 9 - 23. 10. Warren, G. F. ( 1998 ) Spectacular Increases in Crop Yields in the United States in the Twentieth Century, Weed Technology, Vol. 12, P. 752,. 11. Webster, J. P. G., R. G. Bowles, and N. T. Williams ( 1999 ) Estimating the Economic Benefits of Alternative Pesticide Usage Scenarios: Wheat Production in the United Kingdom, Crop Production, Vol. 18, P. 83..

12. MAF ( Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ) New Zealand. Motivation for Growing Organic Products at http: / / www. maf. govt. nz / mafnet / rural - nz / sustainable - resourceuse / organic - production / organic - farming - in - nz / org30004. htm 13. Oerke, E. C. and Dehne, H. W. ( 2004 ) Safeguarding Production - Losses in Major Crops and the Role of Crop Protection, Crop Protection, Vol. 23, P. 275.. 14. Ross, G., ( 2005 ) Risks and benefits of DDT, The Lancet, Vol. 366, No. 9499, P. 1771November,. 15. Lewis, Nancy M., Jamie Ruud, ( 2005 ) Blueberries in the American Diet, Nutrition Today, Vol. 40, No. 2, P. 92March - April, 16. Dietary guidelines for Americans ( 2005 ). U. S. Department of Health and Human Services U. S. Department of Agriculture 17. Forget, G. ( 1993 ) Balancing the need for pesticides with the risk to human health. In: Impact of Pesticide Use on Health in Developing Countries. Eds. G. Forget, T. Goodman and A. de Villiers, IDRC, Ottawa, p. 2,

18. Igbedioh, S. O. ( 1991 ) Effects of agricultural pesticides on humans, animals and higher plants in developing countries. Arch Environ Health 46: 218,.

19. Jeyaratnam, J. ( 1985 ) Health problems of pesticide usage in the third world. BMJ 42: 505,.

20. WHO. Public Health Impact of Pesticides Used in Agriculture. World Health Organization, Geneva, p. 88, ( 1990 ).

21. Environews Forum. Killer environment. Environ Health Perspect 107: A62, ( 1999 ).

22. Nigam, S. K., Karnik, A. B., Chattopadhyay, P., Lakkad, B. C., Venkaiah, K. and Kashyap, S. K. ( 1993 ) Clinical and biochemical investigations to evolve early diagnosis in workers involved in the manufacture of hexachlorocyclohexane. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 65: S193,.

23. Gupta, S. K., Jani, J. P., Saiyed, H. N. and Kashyap, S. K. ( 1984 ) Health hazards in pesticide formulators exposed to a combination of pesticides. Indian J Med Res, 79: 666,

24. Saiyed, H. N., Sadhu, H. G., Bhatnagar, V. K., Dewan, A, Venkaiah, K. and Kashyap, S. K. ( 1992 ) Cardiac toxicity following short term exposure to methomyl in spraymen and rabbits. Hum Exp Toxicol, 11: 93,.

25. Rupa, D. S., Reddy, P. P. and Reddy, O. S. ( 1991 ) Reproductive performance in population exposed to pesticides in cotton fields in India. Environ Res 55: 123,.

26. Gupta, S. K., Parikh. J. R., Shah, M. P., Chatterjee, S. K. and Kashyap, S. K. ( 1982 ) Changes in serum exachlorocyclohexane ( HCH ) residues in malaria spraymen after short term occupational exposure. Arch Environ Health 37: 41,.

27. Brown, Ian UK Pesticides Residue Committee Report ( 2004 ) ( available online http: / / www. pesticides. gov. uk / uploadedfiles / Web_Assets / PRC / PRCannualreport2004. pdf also available on request ). 28.. Bortleson, G. and D. Davis. ( 1987 - 1995 ). U. S. Geological Survey & Washington State Department of Ecology. Pesticides in selected small streams in the Puget Sound Basin. pg. 1 - 4.

29. US Department of the Interior. ( 1995 ). Pesticides in ground water: current understanding of distribution and major influences. U. S. Geological Survey. National Water Quality Assessment. Factsheet number FS - 244 - 95.

30. Waskom, R. ( 1994 ). Best management practices for private well protection. Colorado State Univ. Cooperative Extension ( August ). http: / / hermes. ecn. purdue. edu: 8001 / cgi / convertwq? 7488.

31. O ' Neil, W. and Raucher, R. ( 1998 ). Groundwater public policy leaflet series #4: The costs of groundwater contamination. Wayzata, MN: Groundwater Policy Education Project. http: / / www. dnr. state. wi. us / org / water / dwg / gw / costofgw. htm ( Aug. )

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34. US EPA. ( 1999 ). Spray drift of pesticides. Washington, DC: Office of Pesticide Programs ( December ). http: / / www. epa. gov / pesticides / citizens / spraydrift. htm#1.

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36. Que, S. et al. ( 1975 ). Factors effecting the volatility of DDT, dieldrin, and dimethylamine salt of ( 2, 4 - dichlorophenoxy ) acetic acid ( 2, 4 - D ) from leaf and glass surfaces. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 13 ( 3 ): 284 - 290.

37. USGS. ( 1995 ). Pesticides in the atmosphere: current understanding of distribution and major influences. Fact Sheet FS - 152 - 95. http: / / water. wr. usgs. gov / pnsp / atmos /

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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Indian Smes To Explore Afro Agriculture Sector

A recent paper released by the Associated Barracks of Commerce and Industry of India ( ASSOCHAM ) susceptible that bilateral trade between India and Africa may grow by 22 % by 2012, avenue an estimated US$55 billion.

Growing trade volumes between India and Africa is expected to let have a leg - up to the business of the SME sector of both nations engaged in trading across diverse industry verticals.

Currently, the two - way trade figure between India and Africa is estimated to stand close to US$45 billion and further growth in the trade level between both countries is expected to prove largely beneficial for the agri - trade sector of both nations. Indian SMEs, involved in agriculture and agri - trade activities, can explore commercial opportunities in Africa since it provides suitable climatic conditions and in turn, help in resolving the food security challenge being faced by many African regions.

Indian SMEs can also cooperate in solving problems in several aspects of the African agri - business sector, including segments like irrigation, storage, transport infrastructure, raw materials and various other inputs and in return get a readymade market by tapping opportunities in these areas.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Role of Agriculture Sector in Indian Economy

The agriculture industry has played a significant role in the growth of the development of the Indian Economy. Similarly, there have been a lot of opportunities for the people involved in activities attending agriculture industry.

Agriculture plays a meaning role in the growth of socio - economic sector in India and is the largest contributor to India ' s GDP. It has played a key role in the development of human civilization. Agriculture, the very source of survival for the human humanitarian, includes a comprehensive area of crude and finished products under the succession of plants, animals and other life forms. Human old softie embraces this sector not only for it helps the common man with daily food but also due to the fact that a major chunk of the world ' s population is dependent on agriculture as their source of survival. There is no wrong to call agriculture as the life blood of a country, particularly a country like India as it contributes to the fundamental aspects of national food security, social stability and environmental protection.

The agriculture industry in India is passing through the golden era of modernization and therefore is playing a great role in today ' s economy. This industry has been serving Indian economy since decades and has grown many folds with each move. With the growth in population each year, this sector has nurtured the common man. This sector has encouraged almost every party involved in the family from a Manufacturer to a Supplier to a local vendor etc. with its immense growth each day.

If we talk particularly about the suppliers associated with this sector, they have played a very critical role and have extended its boundaries with no limits. Agro Product Suppliers are performing business across the globe with the supply chain of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, vegetable oil, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc. With the growth of technology, B2B marketplace for every supplier has become easy and has enabled them to perform business more effectively.

The B2B portals prove to be a useful source of getting information about the local, national and international market as it is just a single click away from a common man. There are many portals available over the internet which gives end to end information about the manufacturers, suppliers, exporters etc. Buyers can browse the catalogs of these suppliers with the information on products they offer and can send a request for product details. B to B thus acts as a common platform for buyers and sellers to meet their business requirements and also make use of the opportunities that are available in the form of trade leads.