Lax regulatory regime sows the seeds of spurious pesticides

The deaths of farmers in Maharashtra, Odisha and now in Tamil Nadu allegedly due to pesticide poisoning have yet again brought into focus the regulatory regime for agro-chemicals

Pesticides and agro-chemicals are governed by the Insecticides Act, 1968, and Insecticides Rules, 1971, which regulate import, registration, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides (pesticides).

Insecticides are the largest sub-segment of agro-chemicals with 60 per cent market share, and fungicides and herbicides are the fastest growing segments accounting for 18 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively, of the total crop protection chemicals market, according to a 2016 report prepared by FICCI in collaboration with the Tata Strategic Management Group.

A farmer sprays a mixture of fertilizer and