Externalities in Pesticide Use in Vegetables

The study has reported pesticide expenditure elasticity, resistance externality cost and negative externalities caused by pesticide-use in vegetables based on randomly selected 120 vegetable growers from Dahanu and Palghar tahsils of Thane district in Maharashtra. The major determinants of expenditure on plant protection chemicals reported are area under vegetables, resistance externality cost and pest intensity. The resistance externality cost was influenced by expenditures on fertilizers, plant protection chemicals and pest intensity and contributed positively and significantly. On the other hand, the total family income and expenditure on manures resulted in reduction in resistance externality cost. The contribution of different variables to externality cost revealed the contribution of expenditure on plant protection chemicals to be highest (55.88%), followed by pest intensity (9.05%) and fertilizers (6.29%), whereas the variables total family income and expenditure on manures had a negative contribution to the tune of 8.4 per cent and 20.36 per cent, respectively. The majority of farmers experienced various health problems after handling plant protection chemicals. These health hazards included tiredness, irritation, headache, vomiting, loss of consciousness, irritation, skin and eye contamination, etc.