Government to set up national agricultural bio-security system news
27 December 2008

The agriculture ministry will set up a `national agricultural bio-security system', based on the recommendations of the national commission on farmers headed by M S Swaminathan and the National Policy on Farmers 2007.

The move stems from the increasing threat to the country's bio-security, especially on account of increasing international trade and emergence of trans-boundary diseases of plants and animals (such as Ug-99 and avian influenza), a government press release said.

Introduction of genetically modified organisms and climate change also have the potential to create new forms of diseases and fast spread of existing diseases. Bio-terrorism is also a potent threat in the present security environment, the release noted.

Towards this end, the agriculture ministry has converted the National Plant Protection Institute (NPPTI), Hyderabad into a society to give it more autonomy for human resource development for effective bio-security.

''The institute, re-christened as the National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPM), will soon have its facilities upgraded and faculty expanded for training in plant protection,'' it said, adding ''NIPM would be developed as the premier institution for capacity building in the country and would also provide technical assistance to the neighbouring countries.''

The regulatory framework relating to plant protection is also being strengthened to support the institutional framework.

The Regional Plant Quarantine Station (RPQS), Amritsar has secured ISO 9001:2000 certification. It is the second RPQS to have obtained ISO 9001:2000 certification after RPQS, Chennai. ISO 9001:2000 is an international standard that requires the organisation to maintain a minimum quality of services to its customers/clients.

Besides these two RPQS, the other three major RPQS located at Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai are also pursuing ISO certification. All 35 plant quarantine stations located countrywide are being strengthened to carry out inspection consignments for imports and exports of plants/plant material more effectively.

The Central Insecticides Laboratory, Faridabad is actively pursuing accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). The Central Insecticides Laboratory is the premier referral laboratory in the country for testing pesticide samples under the Insecticides Act, 1968. The two central Regional Pesticides Testing Laboratories located at Chandigarh and Kanpur have also applied for NABL accreditation.

The Pesticides Management Bill, 2008, which seeks to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 to provide for more effective regulation of pesticide introduction and use in the country, has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 21 October 2008.

Meanwhile, the union cabinet has approved the setting up of the 'National Meat & Poultry Processing Board' with its headquarters in Delhi. The board has been allocated total funds of Rs14.64 crore for a period of three years.

The National Meat & Poultry Processing Board (NMPPB) will be registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the ministry of food processing industries. The board, which will be autonomous, will be initially facilitated by the government and will be subsequently managed by the industry and is expected to boost growth of the sector, benefiting both the producers and the processors.

The board will provide help to the industry in setting up / modernisation of abattoirs by providing technical consultancy for production of hygienic meat and meat products and for utilisation of slaughterhouse wastes to prepare animal by products with value addition.

It will help the industry provide a focused approach to address all the issues related to production of hygienic, safe and wholesome meat / meat products; harmonisation of domestic standards with international standards; develop uniform and effective meat quality testing systems in the country; and also to address the environmental pollution issues arising out of the present conditions in the meat industry, the release added.


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Government to set up national agricultural bio-security system