CONSORTIUM OF INDIAN FARMERS ASSOCIATIONS (CIFA) President Basawaraj Tambake Secretary General P. Chengal Reddy Chiet Patron Dr. K. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, MP Former Union Minster for Rural Development Government of Inda Date: 13.12.2010 To: Sri, Rahul Gandhi No. 12, Tuglak Lane New Delhi - 110 011 Dear Sri, Rahulji, DOSULFA! Respectful greetings to you from CIFA CIFA is distressed to observe the orchestrated campaign from the state of Kerala secking, national ban on the popular insecticide and would like to state the following. + Endosulfan is a highly effective, affordable and essential insecticide in Indian agriculture. It is the multi crop, multi pest insecticide and therefore most ideal for small and marginal farmers as its single spray gives adequate pest control. + India’s agriculture has evolved to be qualitatively different from the carlier decades as could be seen from the following table Production of fruits & vegetables and staple food grai in India (million tons) (Yar ~Frits & Vegetables Paddy & Wheat 1991-93 #7 2008-09 198 Source: Ministry of Agriculture ‘© Indian agriculture now produces more fruits & vegetables than staple food grains (paddy & wheat), In fact, India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world and is far ahead of western countries. Most of the fruits & vegetable crops of India require honey bees for cross pollination. Endosulfan is the first choice for Indian farmers for pest management in fruits id vegetables as Endosulfan is relatively less toxic to honey bees compared to other insecticides. Non availability of Endosulfan would significantly reduce the yield of cross pollinated crops ‘our food security and nutritional security. We need to produce more food to population severely affectin, support our growin Food security first - Farmers welfare must” 8/32, South Patel Nagar, New Delhi - 110 008. Tel : 91 11 25842171, 24505048, Fax : 91 11 25842123, E-mail: cifa@indianfarmers.org/ cifa_delhi chengal p@gmail.com Website : www.Agriculture scientists recommend use of Endosulfan under Integrated Pest Manageme systems, ‘Our enquiries show that Endosulfan has good user safety record. Ever since it was introdu 1960s, millions of Indian farmers have used Endosulfan without any adverse health problen Therefore, the allegations in the press that Endosulfan caused the health problems in a particu village of Kerala needs to be considered outside the context of Endosulfan usage If Endosulfan usage really causes health problems, farmers all over India should be suffering from such health problems as observed in the Kerala vi lage. But this is not the case CIFA is of the considered opinion that both registration and review of pesticides in India s be based on sound science and not by street protests driven by pressure groups and vested terest Ifa review of Endosulfan is to be made in India, the views and health records of actual uses. Endosulfan (farmers) all over India must be taken into account and not merely spec allegations of a small group of activist organizations based in Kerala. We have received reports that the laboratory analysis of Endosulfan as carried out by Delhi based environmental NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Ahmadabad laboratory National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) in connection with Kerala scientifically erroneous. There are also reports of foreign funds used for anti I campaign in India. We request Government of India to initiate investigations into this t the truth and punish the guilty. ‘Thanking you, P. Chengal Reddy Secretary General