India’s leading crop protection companies are pressing the government to introduce a limited, time-bound Protection of Regulatory Data (PRD) regime, arguing that it could speed up access to newer, safer crop chemicals while giving a boost to domestic manufacturing and exports.

 

Crystal Crop Protection, Rallis India, Dhanuka Agritech, PI Industries and Godrej Agrovet said a five-year protection window for new molecules and uses would provide the incentive needed to bring modern crop protection products to Indian farms faster.

 

The companies argue that farmers stand to gain most as climate change alters pest, weed and disease patterns and resistance to existing chemistry increases. Newer molecules, they say, can be more targeted and effective at lower doses, potentially reducing residues and improving crop protection.

 

India currently loses an estimated 10% to 35% of agricultural output to pests, weeds and diseases, amounting to about Rs. 2 lakh crore, according to figures cited from the CropLife India-Yes Bank Knowledge Report.

 

The industry says PRD could also strengthen India’s manufacturing base and exports by expanding the country’s registered agrochemical portfolio. Of roughly 1,200 molecules used worldwide, only about 380 are currently registered in India, according to the companies.

 

They contend that the gap puts Indian manufacturers and exporters at a disadvantage as overseas markets tighten residue requirements and competitors from countries with data-protection regimes gain ground.

 

The companies say developing and registering a new molecule in India costs around Rs. 40-50 crore and takes six to eight years because of local safety, efficacy and residue studies. Without data protection, they argue, subsequent applicants can rely on the same data within a year for about Rs. 75 lakh—weakening the incentive to introduce new chemistry in India.

 

Under the proposed framework, protection would expire after five years, opening the molecule to the wider industry, including generic manufacturers and small and medium enterprises.

 

The companies also argue that PRD would not affect products already available in the market because the proposed framework would apply only to new molecules and new uses.

 

India would not be breaking new ground, they said. China provides six years of data protection, while Thailand, Brazil and the United States provide up to 10 years. The European Union provides 10 years, with extensions of up to 13 years for certain low-risk and biological products.

 

The companies also warned that excessive competition around identical registrations can drive prices so low that it encourages over-use, misuse and the sale of spurious or sub-standard products.

 

They said a defined protection period would reward investment in research and quality while encouraging locally generated studies, stewardship and resistance-management practices.

 

The industry is now calling on the government to use the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 to establish a five-year PRD period from the first registration of a new molecule or new use.

 

“Evolving pest pressures demand modern crop protection solutions, yet farmers continue to have limited access to the latest innovations. A time-bound data protection window brings them newer and safer tools sooner, and every molecule it brings in early belongs to the whole industry once the window closes.” Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman, CropLife India and Executive Chairman & Managing Director, Crystal Crop Protection Ltd.

 

“The exporting countries we compete with adopted data protection and grew stronger for it. For India, a modern portfolio keeps our farmers protected and our exports competitive.” Gyanendra Shukla, Vice Chairman, CropLife India and Managing Director & CEO, Rallis India (a Tata enterprise).

 

"As resistance to pests continues to rise, Indian farmers need faster access to newer, safer and lower-dose crop protection solutions. A framework of time-bound Protection of Regulatory Data, will accelerate access to innovation and strengthen sustainable agriculture," Rahul Dhanuka, Managing Director, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd.

 

“A predictable Data protection framework rewards genuine research and brings new innovative solutions to Indian farmers, enabling more sustainable outcomes and creating lasting value for farming communities,” Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairperson, & Managing Director, PI Industries.