Ban use of TB drug on crops: Central panel

The Registration Committee (RC) under the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) recommended that use of antibiotics streptomycin and tetracycline be completely banned with immediate effect on crops where other options were available for bacterial disease control.

The final report accepted the recommendation of the sub-committee on production, sale and use of streptomycin sulphate (9 per cent) and tetracycline hydrochloride (1 per cent). The 414th meeting of the RC was held on May 1, 2020. 

The report recommended that streptomycin and tetracycline use be phased out by 2022-end for crops for which no alternatives were available. Till then, the antibiotics could be used on crops strictly as per the label claim.