Role of Plant Quarantine Under the WTO-SPS Agreement

India, with its agrarian economy at the forefront of national economic progress, faces mounting challenges in sustaining its agricultural ecosystems amidst escalating production demands and limited agricultural resources. This delicate balance is imperiled by a confluence of factors: pests, diseases, and harmful pesticides. Their collective impact not only diminishes crop yields but also poses significant threats to life and the environment. Natural calamities, such as invasions by migratory pests like locusts and armyworms, inflict extensive damage on diverse food crops, resulting in complete production losses across Africa and Asia. Additionally, invasive alien pests and endemic counterparts perpetuate chronic losses on an annual or seasonal basis, exacerbating the strain on agricultural systems.