Farmers in Yavatmal continue to suffer health effects from hazardous pesticide use: survey

Of the 1,444 respondents, 1,402 said they used pesticides. Nearly half had been using them for more than 10 years, while 47.95 per cent reported use for five to 10 years. “Farmers overwhelmingly cited pests as their target, but 21.01 per cent also used pesticides against plant diseases and 7.19 per cent against weeds,” Donthi said.

The survey found unsafe storage and disposal practices to be common. One-third of respondents stored pesticides inside their homes. Among 1,020 respondents, 21.76 per cent said they decanted pesticides into other containers, while 12.56 per cent reused pesticide containers for storing water, food or household items. Disposal methods included burning, reported by 60.37 per cent, and burying, by 34.58 per cent. For leftover pesticides, 72.51 per cent said they burned them. “Burning pesticide containers is a practice that poses significant risks by releasing toxic fumes and pollutants into the air, which can harm humans, animals, and the surrounding environment,” the report said.

Use of alternatives was negligible, with only seven respondents reporting non-pesticide practices such as traps or organic repellents. Donthi said awareness and access to agroecological alternatives remained low.

The report documents both acute and chronic health problems. Acute symptoms included dizziness, nausea, vomiting, skin irritation and breathing difficulty, while chronic issues included persistent weakness, neurological problems and long-term illness linked to prolonged exposure. Emergency medical support was found to be inadequate, with delays in hospital access and limited trained staff in rural areas.

“Personal protection equipment is rarely used. Farmers cited reasons such as cost, lack of availability, and discomfort. Training on PPE is limited, and procurement is irregular. We found that even when training was provided, recommendations were not consistently followed. Access to pesticide labels and leaflets was also limited, with many farmers unable to read or understand the information provided. We also found that instructions were often inaccessible due to language barriers or technical jargon,” Donthi said.

Farmers also reported relying heavily on pesticide retailers for advice, rather than scientific guidance. The most frequently reported chemical was Monocrotophos, used by nearly half of respondents. Other commonly used products included Imidacloprid, Acephate, Fipronil, Flonicamid, Emamectin Benzoate, Glyphosate, Lambda Cyhalothrin and Paraquat dichloride.

“Nearly 19 of the active ingredients identified are classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), with several linked to genetic defects, endocrine disruption, and organ toxicity. Monocrotophos is associated with genetic damage, Glyphosate with bladder and liver toxicity and possible carcinogenicity, Acephate with endocrine disruption, Carbofuran with testicular degeneration and fatal poisoning risks, Chlorpyrifos with thyroid and liver toxicity, and Paraquat dichloride with severe lung damage if inhaled,” Donthi said.

These chemicals were used mainly on cotton, soybean, red gram and chickpea crops, with cotton showing the highest pesticide intensity. The report said repeated exposure and weak emergency response systems continued to leave farmers vulnerable to poisoning and long-term illness.