EU, Endosulfan and Stockholm Convention

European Union calls for ban on endosulfan, solely on the basis on trade interests rather
than scientific truth, citing health hazards.
Those sneaky imperialists

Today, at a press briefing in Chennai, Pesticide Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PFMAI) alleged that European Union (EU), the lead proponent for calling a blanket ban on the supposedly harmful endosulfan pesticide which is blamed for health effects or 'endosulfan poisoning' in Karsargod, Kerala is actually driven by trade interests!

Firstly, this claim coming from a manufacturers association seems to be a little difficult to digest at the first go. But what surprises us the most that the most 'elementary truth' has to be 'spelled out' for everyone, including the media.

Hasn't EU been doing this for ages! If you look at the facts, European Union (EU) is the largest stakeholder in the global pesticide. Also, EU's posturing and arm-twisting policies against the manufacturing of 'generic' drugs, the back bone of India Pharmaceutical Industry, is well documented.

So it does not surprise us that EU will go to any length to protect their precious money churning patented pesticides by calling for a worldwide ban on endosulfan at the most sacrosanct of global gatherings, the Stockholm Covention.

There is a move to label endosulfan as a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) chemical at the Stockholm Convention. And guess what, if endosulfan is banned the farmer in India may be left with no choice but to purchase replacement products which are 10 times more costlier, not proven to be a safe alternative to endosulfan and are patented by private European manufacturers.

If tomorrow European Union decides that it does not wish to manufacture or export the 'replacement pesticide' to India, what is the Indian farmer going to do? EU has managed to sabotage it's own food security by extreme protectionism, is India to suffer the same fate? How do the organic farming proponents plan to feed a billion Indian mouths without endosulfan? Does the common man have to suffer as commodity prices sky rocket to astronomical prices? Does the Indian farmer in Vidarbha, Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh suffer the same "suicidal' fate that the current local agricultural economy has failed to curb?    

The funniest part is, European Union (EU) is not even a heavy user of endosulfan, as the insecticide is most efficient in temperate climate zones such as India, Brazil, Argentina (Latin America), Africa, China, South Asian countries and so on, where incidentally endosulfan has been used for decades and is still not banned due to its efficacy being soft on pollinators like honey bees.

A skeptical eye may be able to see clearly through the lies propagated by vested interests and read through the underlying economic imperialist agenda. We all, citizens of India, have been hoodwinked by distorted reality and misinformation campaign undertaken to deprive the Indian farmer his right to livelihood, liberty, justice and freedom of choice.

For our previous post on Media Lies and Victims of Endosulfan read  European Union's agenda read:
Endosulfan poisoning victims: Different numbers, similar lies?

Endosulfan ban aimed to destroy India exports

In a story filed by United News India (UNI) today, December 23 2010, there is further corroboration of the fact that there are vested interests involved. Till now we have been wondering what could be the true motive to hoodwink the Indian public in spreading such mass hysteria and dogma that a molecule which has been in use for the last 50 years in the country has come under immense cross fire from all sections of the society.

The truth about Endosulfan backed by
scientific data must be revealed.

The true story and ulterior motive, as it always is, is money. European pesticide manufacturers in collusion with certain groups in European Union have taken this initiative with the agenda to dent India's chemical industry. The trade implications are tremendous, if seen in a global context.

European Union lobby groups involved
in calling for a ban on Endosulfan

...the European Union (EU) lobby wanted its elimination to destroy 70 per cent of the world exports of the product from India...arguments put forward by an international committee for imposing the ban was not based on scientific evidence, but by the brute display of voting power by the members...

Imagine, such an important decision for India, is proposed to be taken through a vote amongst members who do not even use, manufacture or are involved in the trade of Endosulfan rather than through consensus of all members. This is an example of economic imperialism agenda which western forces try to impose on the world. In a oligopoly, the new world order still reeks of a post World War hangover.

...on the basis of submissions made by EU, the Chemical Review Committee of Persistent Organic Pollutant had recommended Endosulfan for listing as a (POP) which is based on voting, rather than on scientific data...

In the time to come, we expect more on information on this front and we will ensure we seek the truth. We are sure anyone reading this blog post, if not convinced about the inherent duality of EU, is inspired enough to read both sides of the story.

ലോങ്ങ്‌ ലൈവ് കേരള!    

H./T: NewKerala.com : Ban on 'Endosulfan' aimed at destroying India's exports

Full text of the story:

Endosulfan ban aimed to destroy India exports 
New Delhi, Dec 22: The insecticide industry was today up in arms against banning of Endosulfan, an input used in agriculture production, saying the European Union (EU) lobby wanted its elimination to destroy 70 per cent of the world exports of the product from India.

The industry was of the view that arguments put forward by an international committee for imposing the ban was not based on scientific evidence, but by the brute display of voting power by the members.

The manufacturers, who came under one umbrella, dared the committee to bring forth scientific data, justifying its proposed ban.

They said that they would be willing to swallow the bullet if it was proved on the basis of imperical evidence that it causes dreaded diseases like cancer.

At a joint press conference here, representatives of Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI), Endosulfan Manufacturers and Formulators Association (EMFA) and International Stewardship Centre (ISC), argued that the EU has alternate products which it can bring into use as an insectide, but India will be at complete loss if the ban is effected.

Talking to reporters here, ISC chairman R Hariharan said on the basis of submissions made by EU, the Chemical Review Committee of Persistent Organic Pollutant had recommended Endosulfan for listing as a (POP) which is based on voting, rather than on scientific data.

Several countries, including India and China have strongly opposed the decision which has been taken by voting, and favoured decision making by consensus.

Though the Stockholm Convention is yet to take a final decision on the recommendaton on Endosulfan in April 2011, Mr Hariharan said a number of countries announced a ban or a phase out of the product over a 3 to 5 year period.

''Based on these recommendations, over 60 countries have joined the EU call for a ban on endosulfan,'' the chairman said.

The 60 countries include 27 EU member states and 21 countries in Africa.

Strangely none of the independent regulatory actions in many of these countries have been based on incidences of adverse human health in any of these countries, he said.

He said the EU manfuacturers, which hold nearly 60 per cent of world's exports of chemicals, intends to maintain its control over chemicals which are the second largest traded merchandise in the world, next only to fuels.

India's share in the global Endosulfan market is over 70 per cent, Mr Hariharan said.

The European manufacturers, whose exports share of Endosulfan is declining, have decided to stop selling the product by the end of this year.

Speaking on the occasion, PMFAI president Pradip Dave said thousands of farmers using Endosulfan have not had any issues relating to human health.

Currently, the Indian market of Endosulfan is about 12 million litres annually valued at Rs 270 crore.

In India, there are three manufacturers of Endosulfan, including Hindustan Insecticides Ltd.

At present, the overall Indian agrochemical market stands at Rs 5,200 crore and Endosulfan Rs 300 crore.
--UNI