Sharad Pawar introduces Agricultural Biosecurity Bill in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: Agriculture Minister SharadPawar today introduced a bill in the LokSabha for establishment of an authority that will ensure biosecure global trade in farm items.

The bill assumes importance as it intends to put in place a better regime of quarantining and controlling pests and even "exotic species" that are finding their way into India.

The inflow of pests/diseases of plants and animals into countries through imports is considered one of the biggest threats to diversity, leading to huge economic losses. For example, weeds like Parthenium, Phalaris minor and Lanatana camara have already got established in the country.

Against this background, the Agricultural Biosecurity Bill aims to bring together the plant, animal and marine protection and quarantine advisers under a high powered body - an Authority - with adequate powers, an official release said.

The Authority's mandate will cover four sectors of agricultural biosecurity: plant health, animal health, living aquatic resources (like fisheries) and agriculturally important micro-organisms, it said.

The bill will ensure farm biosecurity of the country for common benefit and for safeguarding the agricultural economy.

Such an authority would improve safety, efficiency, transparency and compliance of quarantine and pest management regulations and respond swiftly to contain emergent biosecurity problems.