The Centre has released the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, proposing to replace the Insecticides Act of 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971. The move comes after years of delay, even as the indiscriminate use of pesticides and the growing presence of spurious products have underscored the need for stronger regulation of the sector.
Efforts to overhaul pesticide regulation date back to 2008-09. Another version of the Bill was introduced in 2017-18, followed by a revised draft tabled in the Rajya Sabha in March 2020. That version was referred to a parliamentary standing committee but never enacted. The latest draft–Pesticides Management Bill, 2025–seeks to introduce a contemporary regulatory framework to ensure the availability of quality pesticides, curb fake and illegal products, and align regulation with modern agricultural practices and technologies.
Why is there a need to replace the Insecticides Act of 1968?
The Insecticides Act is more than five decades old and no longer addresses current challenges in agriculture and crop protection. Issues such as advanced pesticide formulations, environmental risks, modern farming practices and the spread of spurious and substandard products are inadequately covered under the existing law.
In 2023-24, 80,789 pesticide samples were tested across the country, of which 2,222 were found to be spurious, according to information provided by minister of state for agriculture and farmers’ welfare Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 11 February 2025.
The draft Bill aims to regulate the entire lifecycle of pesticides—manufacture, import, packaging, labelling, storage, advertisement, sale, transport, distribution, use and disposal—to ensure that farmers have access to safe and effective products.
How will the bill improve pesticide quality and farmer safety?
A key feature of the proposed law is the mandatory accreditation of pesticide testing laboratories. This is intended to strengthen quality control and ensure that pesticides available in the market meet prescribed safety and efficacy standards. By improving the reliability of testing infrastructure, the government hopes to boost farmer confidence and reduce crop losses caused by substandard or counterfeit products.
The draft also provides for the creation of a registration committee, to be constituted within six months of the Act coming into force. The committee will be responsible for examining applications and taking decisions related to pesticide registrations. The Bill also proposes greater use of technology and digital processes to streamline regulatory approvals and oversight.
What steps does the bill propose to curb illegal and spurious pesticides?
To address the persistent problem of fake and illegal pesticides, the Bill proposes stricter penalties and enhanced enforcement powers. If an offence is committed by a company, both the company and individuals responsible for its operations at the time of the offence will be held liable.
Manufacturing or importing a pesticide without registration could attract imprisonment of up to three years, a fine ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹40 lakh, or both. The draft also allows for compounding of offences, with enhanced penalties designed to act as a deterrent against repeat violations.
These measures are aimed at reducing risks not only to farmers and consumers but also to the environment, where misuse of pesticides can have long-term consequences.
What is the size of the Indian crop protection industry? Does the new bill include provisions to ensure traceability and transparency?
India’s organised crop protection market is valued at about $2.59 billion in 2025, driven by rising food demand and pest-related challenges, according to market researcher Mordor Intelligence. Insecticides account for the largest share of the market, followed by herbicides and fungicides.
The draft Bill includes provisions to improve transparency and traceability, enabling pesticides to be tracked from manufacture to sale. This would allow farmers to verify whether products are genuine, tested and approved. Better record-keeping could also help regulators identify and remove counterfeit or substandard pesticides more quickly.
Why is the 2025 draft being closely watched?
The bill has seen repeated delays since 2008. Given that agriculture and allied sectors account for around 18% of India’s gross domestic product and with nearly half of the country’s workforce dependent on agriculture, the draft legislation strengthens safeguards around the quality, safety and availability of pesticides.
“For the first time, the Bill provides for formal farmer representation in the regulatory framework. It directly addresses the critical issue of adulteration of pesticides, a major cause of poisoning incidents, and strengthens controls to prevent the misuse or sabotage of pesticides in ways that could result in loss of human life,” said Aditya Sesh, an agriculture expert and a member of the expert committee on e-National Warehouse Receipt Systems (eNWRS) in the agriculture ministry.
Public comments on the draft can be submitted until 4 February.