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Pesticide Sellers Demand Stricter Online Rules
21 Jan
Summary
- Industry seeks mandatory authorization for e-commerce pesticide sales.
- Concerns rise over fake products and lack of supply chain traceability.
- Current regulations have a gap for online pesticide sales platforms.
The pesticide industry in India is urging the government to implement more stringent regulations for e-commerce platforms selling crop protection products. Industry bodies like CropLife India have called for mandatory authorization certificates for online sellers to combat the proliferation of fake pesticides. They argue that current basic compliance checks are inadequate to ensure product authenticity and farmer safety.
The industry highlights a significant regulatory gap, noting that while a Principal Authorisation Certificate is required for offline pesticide sales, e-commerce platforms lack explicit requirements for such verification. This allows for the listing and sale of pesticides without clear accountability, even from warehouses not licensed under pesticide laws.
As of January 21, 2026, the industry is advocating for immediate application of the existing Insecticides Act, 1968, to online platforms until the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, is passed. This bill aims for digital governance and traceability but currently omits explicit regulation of online sales platforms, according to the industry body.
