~ 1503 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2018; 7(5): 1503-1506 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2018; 7(5): 1503-1506 Received: 14-07-2018 Accepted: 18-08-2018 Ashoka N Assistant Professor, Dept. of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Munirabad, Koppal, Karnataka, India Ravi Kumar B Assistant Professor, Dept. of Plant Pathology, College of Horticulture, Munirabad, Koppal, Karnataka, India Gajanana Kustagi Assistant Professor Dept. of Post Harvest Technology, College of Horticulture, Munirabad, Koppal, Karnataka, India Ravi Y Scientist (PSMAC), ICAR-NRC on Seed Spice, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India Rajeshwari Nidagundi Assistant Professor, Dept. of PSMAC, College of Horticulture, Munirabad, Koppal, Karnataka, India Venkatesh Hosmani Assistant Professor, Dept. of Agricultural Entomology, College of Horticulture, Munirabad, Koppal, Karnataka, India Correspondence Ashoka N Assistant Professor, Dept. of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Munirabad, Koppal, Karnataka, India Analysis of farmer’s behavior for bio -pesticides in Hyderabad-Karnataka: A case in Ballari and Koppal districts Ashoka N, Ravi Kumar B, Gajanana Kustagi, Ravi Y, Rajeshwari Nidagundi and Venkatesh Hosmani Abstract Repeated exposure to agro-chemical pesticides may increases the pesticide accumulation in food chain and adversely affect on human and environment. Hence, part of farming community shifting from chemical inputs to bio-inputs. In this regard, this study was conducted to know the extent of awareness, usage pattern, product differentiation, factors affecting and purchase pattern of bio-pesticides in Ballari and Koppal districts in Karnataka state. The data pertaining to this study was collected with the help of pre-tested questionnaire during the agricultural year 2018. The results of the study indicated that, the training programmes conducted by the Scientists of College of Horticulture, Munirabad provided the information on usage of bio-pesticides to farming community to the maximum extent (40.67%) followed by Agricultural Officers (18.26%). Many of the crop plants are prune to soil borne diseases and this factor made farmers to opt for bio-pesticides to maintain sustain soil health. Sixty for per cent of the respondents differentiate the product with the help of brand name and followed by symbol (25.83%). Majority of respondents (70.83%) opinioned that bio-pesticides are easily available as market network is well established. Majority of farmers purchase the bio-pesticides after sowing as many farmers are using bio-pesticides for perennial crops. The study also specified that, there is vast scope for the sellers to deliver the product at door steps of farmer’s field as telemarketing is an emerging market. Keywords: Bio-pesticides, farmers, market, purchase, sales and utilization Introduction Use of pesticide has surely added towards improving agricultural production, thus increasing agricultural income. However, haphazard utilization of artificial chemical pesticides has adversely affected human health and environment and has also enhanced development of pesticide resistance among pest species. Farmer’s suicides in Karnataka are attributed to untreated mental illness. Depression arising from repeated exposure of agro-chemicals, pesticides may increase the risk for mood disorders and ultimately suicide (Purnanand, 2011) [1] . Recently, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimate indicated that, 25 million cases of acute occupational pesticide poisoning in developing countries and 20,000 deaths world‐wide each year (Ezhil Vendan, 2016) [2] . Therefore, there has been a rising demand for foodstuff and quality in recent decades, as reflected in the stiff safety rules on imports of products and severe set of laws on the amount of pesticide residues on farm products. Bio-pesticides are natural materials derived from animals, plants, and bacteria, as well as certainminerals, which are used for pest control (EPA. Bio-pesticides, 2017) [3] . Currently, bio-pesticides consist of a small share of the total crop safety market internationally, with a value of about $3 billion worldwide, accounting for just 5 per cent of the total crop protection market (Marrone, 2014; Olson, 2015) [4, 5] . Although bio- pesticide use at a global scale is increasing by almost 10 per cent every year (Kumar, 2016) [6] , it appears that the global market must increase further in the future if these pesticides are to play a visible role in substituting for chemical pesticides and reducing the current over-reliance on them. Currently, there are fewer bio-pesticide active substances registered in the EU than in the US, India, Brazil, or China (Christos and Spyridon, 2018) [7] . However, bio‐pesticides may represent about 4.2 per cent of the overall pesticides market in India (Das, 2014) [8] . Globally, bio-pesticides production is 4.5 per cent and in USA it is 6 per cent, whereas in India, it accounts only 3 per cent of the total chemical pesticides production. Presently, only 12 types of bio-pesticides including neem based and microbial based formulations are registered under the Insecticide Act, 1968 in India (EzhilVendan, 2016) [2] . Even though the potential demand for bio-pesticides is very high, the real demand from the farming community is very low.