The Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) submitted their objections and suggestions on Pesticides Management Bill 2025 to the Govt. of India keeping in view the interest of domestic manufacturers.

“It was a very prudent decision for not considering data protection / data exclusivity in the interest of indigenous manufacturers. Likewise again deleting the clause on price control would make industry more competitive in domestic market, an area where we are committed to make our presence felt as a global manufacturing & R&D innovation hub for agrochemicals,” said Deepak Shah, Chairman, CCFI, after submitting their objections and suggestions on PMB2025 to GOI.

Flagging critical issues in the proposed regulatory framework, the CCFI has called for a reconsideration of provisions holding directors liable for misbranding. The industry association criticized the unchecked authority given to governments to suspend insecticide sales for 12 months. Additionally, the CCFI demanded a rationalization of proposed penalties, describing current fines as excessive.

The Federation contends that current regulations unfairly prohibit the export and distribution of products banned domestically, despite existing demand in foreign markets. They argue these restrictions hinder international trade opportunities for manufacturers, even when the goods are permitted in the destination country.

Most importantly the bill lacks any provision to promote R&D for new chemical entity (NCE), focus on Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat though India has very high manufacturing capacities and technical capabilities. Even in a new field, like Artificial Intelligence (AI), India aims to become one of the world leader, then why not initiate the research for new chemical entry (NCE), CCFI argues.

 “India's democratisation of AI-enabled agricultural solutions has delivered transformative outcomes. The India AI Mission is committed to democratising these capabilities and ensuring that they reach farmers in the remotest corners of our country. We need to prioritise the creation of indigenous solutions that function in low-bandwidth, multilingual environments and ensure that every farmer has access to the same resources as a global agri-business,” Shah added.

CCFI’s SUGGESTION FOR INCLUSION IN PMB2025

It is suggested that PMB 2025 should expressly incorporate provisions governing the sale of pesticides trough e-Commerce and other online platforms. In the absence of specific provisions, online sale of pesticides may take place without adequate regulatory oversight, potentially leading to issues relating to unauthorized sellers, sale of unregistered or prohibited products. The Bill should therefore include a dedicated framework prescribing:

1.    Stringent licendung requirements for entities undertaking sale of pesticides through online platforms;

2.    Obligations of e-commerce intermediaries/ marketplaces providing pesticide listings on its platforms;

3.    Conditions relating to verification of buyer credentials, where applicable;

4.    record- keeping for online transactions;

5.    Necessary definitions relating to e-commerce framework should be included in PMB, 2025.

The Govt should consider these suggestions logically which will go a long way in helping the farmer and the farming community at large.