{"id":50318,"date":"2025-08-04T18:15:49","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T12:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=50318"},"modified":"2025-08-05T12:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T06:58:09","slug":"india-pesticide-market-shifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/04-08-2025\/india-pesticide-market-shifts","title":{"rendered":"Shifts in India\u2019s Pesticide Market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Economy and agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s pesticide market is undergoing a structural transformation, driven by shifting pest dynamics, labour shortages, and changing cropping practices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pesticides, or crop protection chemicals, include substances used to kill or deter pests that harm crops. These include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Insecticides:<\/strong> For insect pests (e.g., white-backed plant hopper in paddy).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fungicides:<\/strong> For fungal diseases (e.g., blast, sheath blight).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Herbicides:<\/strong> For weed control.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Historically, pesticide use in India was low in the mid-20th century, but has grown with the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/green-revolution\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/green-revolution\/\">Green Revolution<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In recent decades, regulatory changes (banning DDT, endosulfan etc.) and rising labour costs have boosted herbicide and biopesticide adoption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Composition of India\u2019s Crop Protection Market<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>India\u2019s organised domestic crop protection chemicals market<\/strong> is valued at roughly <strong>Rs 24,500 crore.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The largest segment within that is<strong> insecticides (Rs 10,700 crore)<\/strong>, followed by herbicides (Rs 8,200 crore) and fungicides (Rs 5,600 crore).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Herbicides are <strong>growing at &gt;10% annually<\/strong>, highest among all sub-segments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Global scenario:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As per Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over <strong>3.7 million tonnes<\/strong> of pesticides were used globally in <strong>2022, <\/strong>doubling since <strong>1990.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Asia leads in production and consumption, with <strong>China and India<\/strong> at the forefront.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d8d8ca\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"826\" height=\"304\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Indias-Crop-Protection-Chemicals-Market.png\" alt=\"India\u2019s Crop Protection Chemicals Market\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-50319\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d8d8ca; width:562px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Indias-Crop-Protection-Chemicals-Market.png 826w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Indias-Crop-Protection-Chemicals-Market-300x110.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Indias-Crop-Protection-Chemicals-Market-768x283.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Driving Factor for the Growth of Herbicides<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Manual weeding requires 8\u201310 hours per acre, while the average daily wage for plant protection workers rose to <strong>\u20b9447.6 in Dec 2024<\/strong> (from \u20b9326.2 in 2019) according to the Labour Bureau\u2019s data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Due to migration and rising opportunity costs,<\/strong> labour availability is erratic, especially during peak agricultural operations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Herbicides<\/strong> now act as<strong> labour substitutes<\/strong>, like tractors or mechanised harvesters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Regulatory Framework<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Insecticides Act, 1968:<\/strong> Governs import, registration, manufacture, sale, transport, and use of pesticides.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Banned\/Restricted Pesticides: <\/strong>India has banned 46 pesticides; others like Paraquat and Glyphosate remain under scrutiny.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CIB&amp;RC (Central Insecticide Board &amp; Registration Committee):<\/strong> Approves new pesticides and ensures safety compliance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anupam Verma Committee:<\/strong> It was constituted by the Department of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare to<strong> review 66 pesticides<\/strong> which are banned\/restricted in other countries but continued to be registered for use in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Schemes Promoting Sustainable Use of Pesticides<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): <\/strong>Encourages Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and climate-resilient farming.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY):<\/strong> Promotes organic farming, including biopesticide usage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kisan Drone Scheme (2022):<\/strong> Provides subsidies for agricultural drones, enabling precision spraying and reducing health risks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kisan Kavach Protective Kit:<\/strong> Developed byDepartment of Biotechnology, it offers safety gear to pesticide applicators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the Concerns?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Environmental and Health Risks: <\/strong>Excessive or improper pesticide use leads to soil and water contamination, resistance buildup, and human health hazards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regulatory Oversight:<\/strong> India lacks a robust regulatory framework like the EPA (USA) or EFSA (EU) for approving or banning hazardous chemicals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>R&amp;D and Indigenous Capacity:<\/strong> India is dependent on MNCs for active ingredients and formulations. It needs more investment in domestic R&amp;D and public-private innovation platforms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Promote Bio-pesticides: <\/strong>Streamline approval and incentivize production of eco-friendly alternatives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthen Regulatory Enforcement:<\/strong> Improve state-level monitoring to curb the sale of spurious and substandard pesticides.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Farmer Awareness &amp; Training: <\/strong>Expand extension services to educate farmers on judicious, need-based pesticide use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Traceability Systems:<\/strong> Implement QR-based tracking from manufacturer to farmer to ensure quality and transparency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increase R&amp;D Funding:<\/strong> Support innovation in green chemistry, nano-pesticides, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ban Hazardous Chemicals:<\/strong> Phase out Class I pesticides (highly hazardous) in alignment with FAO-WHO guidelines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding Remarks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s pesticide sector is at a crossroads\u2014while it plays a crucial role in ensuring crop protection and food security, it simultaneously raises environmental and health concerns.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A judicious blend of regulation, innovation, and farmer awareness is essential to transition toward safer, more sustainable agriculture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-economics\/india-pesticide-market-change-growth-fungicide-10167612\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">India\u2019s pesticide market is undergoing a structural transformation, driven by shifting pest dynamics, labour shortages, and changing cropping practices.\n<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Pesticides, or crop protection chemicals, include substances used to kill or deter pests that harm crops. These include:Insecticides: For insect pests (e.g., white-backed plant hopper in paddy).\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Historically, pesticide use in India was low in the mid-20th century, but has grown with the Green Revolution.\u00a0\n<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs-hindi\/04-08-2025\/india-pesticide-market-shifts\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":50362,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/india-pesticide-market-shifts.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50318"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50386,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50318\/revisions\/50386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}