Externalities of pesticide application on apple in Kashmir valley

Abstract

This study has investigated the pesticide-use practices in relationship with external costs on health/environmental hazards in apple-dominated areas of Kashmir valley. The study has revealed unscientific/indiscriminate application of pesticides on apple; on an average, the apple orchards are sprayed 9 times, though few farmers even go beyond 12 sprays. Pesticides which are more costly and not recommended for a particular stage of fruit development are also sprayed in the study area. It is surprising that only one farmer has sprayed summer oils on his apple orchard. The use of unidentified/unlabelled pesticides has been found prevalent in the study area. There are huge technological gaps in the use of pesticides; dormant oils, fungicides and insecticides/acaricides are used 61 per cent, 32 per cent and 36 per cent more than the recommendations, respectively. The gaps have been found wider at the farms of farmers who purchase pesticides on cash or credit from contractors-cum-traders who are known for their misguiding roles. The study has provided an account of various environmental externalities of pesticide-use and has estimated costs (damage cost and damage abatement cost) associated with them, employing actual expenditure at market price and contingent valuation procedures. Pesticide health risk models have been specified for quantifying the probability of falling sick of health disorders, viz. dermatological, gastro-intestinal, neurological, respiratory and ophthalmological. The logit regression estimates ascertained that the use of more toxic pesticides significantly increase the probability of falling sick. The study has put forth a few policy suggestions for encouraging scientific application of pesticides and reducing the negative externalities arising from pesticide-use.