The Ministry of Agriculture, in a bid to strengthen the agriculture sector of India, has launched two portals that intend to create a smooth channel for the export/import of agricultural commodities and pesticides registration.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar launched two portals, one for the Computerized Registration of pesticide (CROP) and the other for the Plant Quarantine Management System (PQMS).

Speaking on the occasion the Minister said, keeping in mind the Prime Minister’s vision for the Agriculture sector these two portals have been launched and would help in taking forward digital Agriculture and Ease of doing Business.

E-governance solutions for the Agri sector – CROP & PQIS:

The agriculture exports of India, recently have taken a great leap forward. With an emphasis on technology, the new portals will benefit farmers, exporters as well as industrialists.

Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW) with the help of the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS), Faridabad has been aiding Indian exporters and importers of agriculture commodities and Indian Pesticide Industry, via its two portals namely, Computerized Registration of pesticide (CROP) and Plant Quarantine Information System (PQIS).

The government, after realising the need for quicker disposal of applications related to export/import of agricultural commodities and pesticides registration, designed a more coordinated integration with external systems and stakeholders. The inclusion of e-governance intends to bring greater transparency to the existing online system, and therefore DAFW has launched two redeveloped online portals.

The PQMS portal will build a transparent system with no physical touchpoints for the applicants and ensure convenience to the users, through the online system including e-payments and uploading of documents, online accreditation and renewal of treatment agencies/facilities and downloading of certificates. Similarly, the re-developed CROP portal will immensely help in ease of doing business and provide greater and timely Crop protection solutions to farmers of the country.

Kisan Drones to spray pesticides:

The Department of Agriculture in consultation with all the stakeholders has released Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for use of drones in pesticide and nutrient applications that provide precise instructions for effective and safe operations of drones.

To make drone technologies reach all farmers, the Ministry has issued orders granting an interim approval for the spray of nearly all the registered pesticides formulations using drones.

The safety and efficacy of these pesticide formulations have already been evaluated on different crops and are already being used in the country using other methods, the Ministry informed.

Moreover, the application of pesticides using drones will not only make it easier for farmers to efficiently protect plants from pests but will also eventually help in increasing their incomes through reduced input costs.