Pesticide Widely Used For Apple Spray In Kashmir Found Misbranded By J&K Government

J&K government's Agriculture department has found Indofil M-45, a widely used pesticide by orchardists, as misbranded and ordered its seizure from the marker.

Srinagar: With horticulture season beginning in the Jammu and Kashmir region next month, the Jammu and Kashmir government has alerted the orchardists against using "misbranded" pesticide spray on fruit plants. The Jammu and Kashmir government's Agriculture department has found Indofil M-45, a widely used pesticide by orchardists, as misbranded and ordered its seizure from the marker.

The department's Agriculture Chemist Lab in Srinagar tested a sample of Indofil M-45, which contains Mancozeb 75% WP, as its active ingredient, and was found to be misbranded. "The batch of the pesticide CMZ24-660 was manufactured on December 13, 2024, by Indofil Industries Limited and has an expiry date of December 12, 2026," says the directive of the government.

The Deputy Director of Law Enforcement of the Agriculture Department has now instructed law enforcement officers to seize the stock of the pesticide and take necessary action under the provisions of The Insecticides Act, 1968, and its associated rules.

Orchardists in the Kashmir valley where more than 35 lakh persons earn livelihood from the horticulture sector have been complaining of substantial pesticide and insects. They have urged the government to make more efforts to test other brands also to check the quality of pesticides.

Kashmir is known for its apples, which are sold across the globe.