Actual State of Organic Part II

[OrganicABC]

WHY SHOULD WE EMBRACE ORGANIC FARMING?
Because food safety is as important as food security
DO WE KNOW HOW THE ARTIFICIAL CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS HARM US!
They—-
v Interfere and eliminate nutrition producing microbes (bacteria fungi and worms) from soil.
v Impede and set in imbalance the entire mineral and micronutrient pattern in crop plants.
v Excess of N- fertilizer in soil impair K uptake by crop plants and they lack K component in their tissues.
v Excess of K applications decrease the amount of Vitamin-C (ascorbic acid) and carotene (pre Vitamin A) in crop plants.
v Super phosphate applications cause deficiency of Cu and Zn in crop plants.
v Their applications reduce the natural resistance to disease and pest in crop plants
v N-fertilizer applications though enhance crop yield, it is in terms of carbohydrates. There occurs a deficiency in protein content by 20-25% w/w and the amino acid balance is greatly impaired, thus lowering the protein quality.
v N- fertilizers (NO3,NO2 and NH3+) act as toxins in soil, percolated into underground water tables,NO3 and NO2 cause Methaemoglobinaemia (Methaemoglobin occurring in excess of normal 0.8%) which at 20% cause headache and giddiness, at 60% loss of consciousness and around 80%, death in adult human beings. Affected new borne turn blue and die (blue baby syndrome).
v N- Fertilizers (NOx) reduce O3 by 3.5% by reducing NO (NO+O3 NO2+O2). A one percent of O3 depletion cause increase 2% of U-V radiation, 10% decreases of O3 in stratosphere increase Melanoma (skin cancer) by 20-30% besides causing high occurrence of cataracts, destruction of immunity, vegetation and sea-life.
v Concentration of NO2 at 6.0mg/kg in excess of 2mg/kg of air cause leaf damage, impaired photosynthetic activity in many plants. At a higher concentration, causes burning sensation of mucous membranes. NO3 at 800mg/ltr.of water caused cattle deaths in epidemic form in Rajasthan in 1976.

THIS IS HOW THE SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES HARM US -
v These are generally bionondegradables, introduced into the ecosystem, they play havoc, either as hazardous or toxicants or both.
v Aimed at eliminating the pests, they end up in increasing their pesticide-resistance as most of the pests have as many as 10-30 life cycles in a year.
v The table given below shows changes in cotton insecticide use(in mln.pounds),from USDA chemical use survey( It is to note that Bt cotton was introduced in US in 1996)
1964
1966
1971
1976
1982
1992
1998
2000
Organochlorines
54.6
45.4
33
18.6
1.2
1.2
0.3
0.5
Organophosphates
15.6
14.3
28.6
31.4
12.9
13.4
11.3
36.1
Carbamates
6.2
4.5
10.3
12.2
3.5
4
2.7
3.5
Synthetic pyrethroids
0
0
0
0
0.8
0.9
0.4
0.3
Others
1.6
0.7
1.5
2
1
0.3
0.1
0.1
Total pounds applied
78
64.9
73.4
64.2
19.4
19.8
14.8
40.5
v Percolated into the underground water tables, cause pesticide pollution, the recent Coca cola- Pepsi and bottled water episodes are the glaring examples. Once consumed, they have one way traffic in the human (animal) vital tissues.
v According to Pearson (1985) pesticide related deaths in developing countries are estimated at 10,000/yr. nearly 1.5-2 million persons in these countries suffer from acute poisoning related to pesticide use and consumption, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

Pesticide residue reported to be present in agricultural produce (from HAU)
Commodities
2001
Sample (No.) Contamination
2002
mple (No.) Contamination
Vegetables
(17 crops)
712
61
12% above MRL
529
63
8.5% above MRL
Fruits
(12 crops)
378
53
less than MRL
329
47
approaches MRL
Pesticide residue in animal feed, fodder, product and irrigation water in year 2001-2002.
Commodities
Sample No.
Contamination (%)
Major residue recorded
Feed and fodder
125
81
HCH, DDT, Chloropyriphos, indosulphan
Milk
537
52
94% HCH, 9% indosulphan and DDT residue
Butter
184
67.4
- do -
Irrigation Water
Surface water
258
60
HCH, DDT
Canal water
251
73
Indosulphan, Chloropyriphos
4 above MRL
Pond water
10
11
All
All
- do -
Maximum residue limit (MRL) of pesticide on food commodities (prevention of food adulteration acts- 1954)