Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage was established in the year 1946 on the recommendation of Woodhead Commission as an apex organization for advising the Government of India and state governments on all the matter related to Plant Protection. The Directorate is headed by Plant Protection adviser. Plant Protection strategy and activities have significant importance in the overall crop production programmes for sustainable agriculture. Plant protection activities encompasses activities aimed to minimizing crop losses due to pests through integrated pest management, plant quarantine, regulation of pesticides, locust warning & control and training in desert areas besides training and capacity building in plant protection. It is an attached Office of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It has various Sub-Offices through India and the Plant Protection Network of Directorate of PPQ&S in India is as follows:-
Mandate
- To popularize adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) through training and demonstration in crops inter-alia promotion of biological control approaches in crop protection technology.
- To ensure availability of safer and effective pesticides through regulatory measures under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
- To prevent introduction of exotic pests inimical to Indian agriculture by implementation of Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914 supported by Plant Quarantine Order (Regulation of Import into India), 2003.
- To advise and assist the union government on all matters including international obligations related to plant protection.
- To keep watch and control over locust in scheduled desert area.
- Human resource development in plant protection technology.
- Monitoring pesticides’ residues at national level.