Fifty Sixth Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Industry Meet of Pesticides Manufacturers’ Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) was held on 21st November 2024 in Mumbai.

The industry members paid homage to Padma Bhushan Dr. K. H. Gharda, Founder & CMD of Gharda Chemicals by observing one minute’s silence. Dr. Gharda remembered for his outstanding contributions not only for the development and progress of Indian Chemicals & Agrochemical industry, but also for his great contributions supporting poor and downtrodden and upliftment of society, passed away on 30th September 2024.

The proceedings of the Industry Meet commenced with Welcome Address by PMFAI President Pradip Dave giving detailed account of PMFAI activities during last year. In his address, Pradip Dave mentioned the significant role played by PMFAI during last over 56 years in contributing to the development and progress of Indian Agriculture; Indian Agrochemical industry and Indian Farming community. Mr. Dave observed that during last over 5 decades, we witnessed India emerging from food deficit nation to food surplus economy, self-sufficient in most of the food crops which demonstrates the stellar role of Agriculture in food security of our nation.

India’s foodgrain production reached a record 332 million tons in 2023-24 and is world’s 2^nd largest producers of fruits and vegetables, rice, wheat, groundnut, cashew and tea globally. The growth achieved due to judicious use of agri inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and seeds, which also helped achieving nation’s agriculture exports reaching US$ 55 billion and becoming 8^th largest exporters in the world.

While India is 4th largest producers of Agrochemicals in the world, in the year 2022-23 the country has become 2nd largest exporters of agrochemicals with exports worth Rs. 44,000 crores plus to global markets, due to high quality of products supplied.

Sunil Borkar, Director of Agriculture, Maharashtra State who was Special Guest in the Industry Meet addressed the gathering. During his address while referring to the poisoning issues faced by Farmers in Maharashtra in the year 2017, Borker expressed satisfaction on the work done by the Industry by undertaking training and education of farmers on safe and effective use of crop protection products, which lead to control poisoning cases. The Department of Agriculture, Maharashtra assigned different districts to leading companies to impart training and education of Farmers in Maharashtra which is now a continuous activity.

Borkar mentioned lack of knowledge among farmers in using correct crop protection products and the need for recommendation of use of crop protection products specific to control pests and diseases. Borkar suggested to create social media App which can help identifying pests and diseases and suggesting crop protection solutions. Borkar given suggestions to industry to counter sub-standard products while the Department is also trying to create a system.

With regards to Label claim, Borkar suggested that if one Formulation got label claim, the same be made applicable to the same Formulation manufactured by others, which the industry should take up with regulatory authorities. He also advised all leading companies to create training pest control operators.

In the Industry Meet, Dr. Mohana Krishna Reddy Mudiam, Director, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology – IPFT (an Institute under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India) made presentation. In his address, Dr. Reddy briefed the gathering on “New Generation of Agrochemical Formulations and Role of IPFT in the Development and Evaluation of Advanced Formulations”. Dr. Reddy given detailed account of services offered by IPFT.