New Delhi: CropLife India has urged the Centre to plug key gaps in the Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, warning that delays in introducing newer crop protection technologies are hurting farmers and exports. In its submission to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the industry body said India’s regulatory system is still rooted in the Insecticides Act, 1968, even as pest patterns and climate conditions have changed significantly. Crop losses due to pests range from 10% to 35%, amounting to over ₹2 lakh crore annually, it noted.
The association, which represents 17 R&D-led companies accounting for about 70% of the crop protection market, flagged an “innovation lag” that keeps farmers dependent on decades-old chemistries. This, it said, leads to higher resistance, more spraying, and difficulty in meeting global residue norms. To address this, CropLife has proposed a five-year protection of regulatory data (PRD) framework to incentivise faster introduction of newer, safer molecules in India.
It also raised concerns over the growing online sale of pesticides, saying the current draft does not clearly regulate e-commerce platforms. It has sought mandatory licensing, seller verification and product traceability norms to curb spurious sales. On corporate liability, the body cautioned against indiscriminate prosecution of company directors without operational roles, recommending accountability be limited to designated responsible officials.
The draft Bill’s emergency prohibition clause has also come under criticism. CropLife said the provision allowing extended bans without timely scientific review could effectively result in long-term restrictions. It has suggested limiting such prohibitions to 60–120 days, followed by mandatory evaluation.
CropLife India chairman Ankur Aggarwal said the reforms are “timely and necessary”, but stressed that the final law must remain science-based and enable quicker access to modern crop protection solutions. The industry body also called for proportionate penalties, safeguards in testing procedures, protection of confidential business information, and a uniform national enforcement framework.