Chapter3 PDF

CHAPTER III
PESTICIDES PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN INDIA
3.1 Introduction
The word pest comes from the Latin word "pestis" which includes an
animal or plant that occurs in such abundance as to present a distinct threat,
economically or medically to man or his interest. A pest may be insect, fungus,
weed, rodent, bacteria, virus, nematodes, acarid / mite, parasite and even
animal or bird. Worldwide, about 10,000 species of insects are important as
pest, out of 7, 50,000 identified species. Over 50,000 species of fungi are
responsible for some 1,500 plant diseases; Over 1,800 species of weeds out of
the known 30,000 cause serious economic loss. About 15,000 species of
nematodes produce more than 1,500 serious deleterious effects on plants. Over
1,00,000 species of pests destroy food which could be fed for 135 million
people. The word pest has no biological meaning. Pests are organisms that
diminish the value of resources. In India, crops are affected by over 200 major
pests, 100 plant diseases, hundreds of weeds and other pests like nematodes,
harmful birds, rodents and the like. About 4,800 million rats cause havoc in
India. Approximately, 30 per cent of Indian crop yield potential is being lost
due to insects, disease and weeds which in terms of quantity would mean 110.1
million tonnes of food grain. The value of total loss has been placed at
Rs 90,000 crore, represents about 18 per cent of the gross national agriculture
production. The pest wise losses are as follows:
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EXHIBIT: 3.1
PEST WISE LOSSES
Besides the agriculture, the non - agriculture pests are carriers of

malaria, filaria, encephalitis, typhus, plague and other dreadful diseases. About
30 household pests are worthy of attention, like files, fleas, bedbugs, lice,
cockroaches, mites, termites and moths. Man's war against pests is perennial
and almost eternal. No agriculture or forest crop can be grown in an insect and
disease - free environment. Pests and disease are parts of natural processes that
are going on since the beginning of the universe, and the biological process of
evolution. Total extermination of pests is not possible and is no longer the aim
of pesticide application. The control of pests is the objective and designated as
plant protection. The efficient producer wants to keep loss due to pests to a
minimum. Pest control is now the chemistry of human survival. While pest
control is one of the imperative prerequisites, it bears also higher degree of
negative impacts on environment. Hence, the chemicals which control the pest
commonly known as pesticides. Pesticides are basically toxics and persistence;
they can enter in food chain and cause are injury to human health. They also
destroy the diversity and food web and cause ecological imbalance. Pest
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control, therefore, needs regulation on the interest of human health and
environment.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has defined the term of

pesticide as: any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing,
destroying or controlling any pest, including vectors of human or animal
disease, unwanted species of plants or animals causing harm during or
otherwise interfering with the production, processing, storage, transport or
marketing of food, agricultural commodities, wood and wood products or
animal feedstuffs, or other pests in or on their bodies. The term includes
substances intended for use as a plant growth regulator, defoliant, desiccant or
agent for thinning fruit or preventing the premature fall of fruit. Also used as
substances applied to crops either before or after harvest to protect the
commodity from deterioration during storage and transport.
3.2 Pesticide Use
Pesticides are defined as the substance or mixture of substances used to

prevent, destroy, repel, attract, sterilise, stupefy or mitigate any insects.
Generally, pesticides are used in three sectors viz. agriculture, public health and
consumer use. The consumption of pesticide in India is about 600 gms. /
hectare, whereas that of developed countries is touching 3000 gms. / hectare.
There is a wide range of pesticides found used in non-agriculture situations
such as industries, public health and for a number of purposes in the home.
Domestic use of pesticides is mainly as fly killer, ant killer, moth killer,
repellants, rodenticides and fungicides etc. By and large, industrial use of
pesticide is of vital importance in the industries such as wood and carpet, wood
preservation, paint industry, paper and board industry, leather industry,
building industry, miscellaneous industrial application e.g. soluble cutting oils,
industrial water systems, drilling fluids etc.
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3.3 Characteristics of Pesticide Industry
The characteristics of India pesticides industry in India is summarized
as:
i. Fragmented Structure
As there was no product patent in this industry till 2005, many
formulators entered the market and rendered a fragmented structure to the
pesticide industry. The major players in the Indian market are United
Phosphorous Ltd, Bayer Crop Science Ltd, Rallis India Ltd, Syngenta India,
Gharda Chemicals and the top ten players have an 85 per cent market share.
Bayer Crop science Ltd and Syngenta India Ltd are the market leaders in
domestic sales while United Phosphorous Ltd is the largest exporter of
pesticides.
ii. Low Capacity Utilization
Given the uneven food grain production which is highly dependent on

irregular rainfall and increased competition in the export market, the
production trend of the pesticide industry is quite irregular. Due to seasonality
of demand the manufacturers face low capacity utilization because of which
they have not been able to take advantage of the economies of scale. During
FY08, the domestic capacity was 146,000 MT whereas production was only
83,000MT.
iii. Working Capital intensive

The pesticide industry is working capital-intensive as the seasonal nature
of demand for pesticides forces companies to maintain large inventory levels.
Moreover, the farmers require long credit periods as farmers have little surplus
money left for purchasing pesticides, as pesticides are the last input in
agriculture operation.
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iv. R & D Requirement
During the process patent regime that existed before 2005, the Indian
companies concentrated on marketing generic and off-patent products;
evidently the R&D investment in the pesticide industry was quite low in India
during this time as compared to the global market. Consequently, about 70 per
cent of all pesticides used in India are generics. Eventhough the lack of patents
deprived the Indian agriculture sector from the benefits of newer and more
effective pesticides, India developed competencies in the generics market and
is now a net exporter of pesticides.
v. Low Brand Awareness and Price-Sensitive Products
The market for pesticides is highly price-sensitive and less brand

conscious as it largely caters to farmers. However, farmers need to be educated
and made aware of the usage and quality of pesticides. Moreover, due to the
prevalence of spurious pesticides in the market, brand awareness becomes
critical for the Indian manufacturers.
3.4 Advantages of Using Pesticides
Pests are an ecological problem and therefore our control strategies must be
ecologically sound. Basically, there are two approaches to pest control:
a. Prevention
b. Cure or removal of the cause.
Modern agriculture is a combination of both and human intervention is

necessary, whether it be pulling out weeds by hand, use of pesticides or genetic
engineering. Control methods evolve over time as knowledge and techniques
improve. This includes the development of chemical means of control which
become very important because of a number of advantages. For example:
 Cost Effectiveness. Farm chemicals are an economical way of

controlling pests. They require low labour input and allow large areas to
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be reacted quickly and efficiently. It has been conservatively estimated
that for every dollar a farmer spends on farm chemicals, he receives $4
return (Anon, 1990a). Production per labour unit has increased while
production costs and energy inputs are lower.
 Timeliness and Flexibility. A suitable farm chemical is available for

most pest problems with variations in activity, selectivity and
persistence. The best product can be chosen for the situation. This
allows more flexibility in management options and better timeliness of
pest control.
 Quality, Quantity and Price of Produce. Farm chemicals ensure a

plentiful supply and variety of high quality, wholesome food at a
reasonable price. Modern society demands nutritious food free from
harmful organisms and blemishes. Ornamental horticulture also requires
unblemished and pest-free plants and flowers. This would be very
difficult without farm chemicals.
 Prevention of Problems. Farm chemicals are frequently used to prevent

pest problems from occurring, e.g. preventing weeds in gardens and
lawns; treatment of export and import produce to prevent the spread of
pests; treatment of stored products to prevent pest attack and destruction
during storage.
 Protection of Pets and Humans. Without farm chemicals, the treatment

of spiders, cockroaches, etc in houses; fleas on pets, etc, would be most
difficult.
 Protection of the Environment. If no farm chemicals were available to

control environmental pests like noxious weeds, feral animals, etc, our
environment would suffer very badly. Using herbicides to control crop
weeds reduces the need for cultivation, thus, reducing land degradation.
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Farm chemicals are a management tool to aid in the control of pests and
their continued use is supported by the conclusions of the Senate Select
Committee on Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals in Australia, and even
Dr. Kate Short of the Total Environment Centre states: "One who do not have a
problem with pesticides being used as a management tool in pest control in
Australian agriculture" (Colston et al., 1990).
3.5 Potential Adverse Effects of Pesticides
Despite their many advantages, there are some potential hazards or risks
when using farm chemicals. These risks may be associated with all chemicals
whether they be industrial chemicals, pesticides, household products or even
natural chemicals found in the environment. Undesirable side effects of farm
chemical use usually stem from a lack of understanding of the impact of the
chemical on the environment, compounded by indiscriminate and overuse of
the product. These side effects do not always occur when farm chemicals are
used and damage does not necessarily result. Some of these effects may be:
1. Reduction of Beneficial Species. Non-target organisms, including

predators and parasites of pests, can also be affected by chemical
application. The reduction of these beneficial organisms can result in
changes in the natural biological balances. Losses of honeybees and
other pollinating insects can also be a problem.
2. Drift of Sprays and Vapour during application can cause severe

damage and residue problems in crops, livestock, waterways and the
general environment. Care in the methods of application and the weather
conditions under which it is carried out can reduce drift. Environmental
pollution from careless application and runoff can result in wildlife and
fish losses. This should be a concern for all of us.
3. Residues in Food for humans and feed for livestock can be a

consequence of direct application of a chemical to the food source, by
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the presence of pollutants in the environment or by transfer and bio-
magnification of the chemical along a food chain. Not all residues are
undesirable although good agricultural practice must be observed to
prevent unnecessary and excessive levels of residues.
4. Ground Water Contamination by leached chemicals can occur in high
use areas if persistent products are used.
5. Resistance to the pesticide used can develop in target pests due to

overuse and incorrect use of the chemical.
6. Poisoning Hazards and other health effects to operators can occur

through excessive exposure if safe handling procedures are not followed
and protective clothing not worn. Poisoning risks depend on dose,
toxicity, duration of exposure and sensitivity.
7. Other Possible Health Effects due to indiscriminate use of farm

chemicals also concern many people in the community.
Problems result from misuse, abuse and overuse. Farm chemicals can be
used safely and effectively without these undesirable effects although there is
always a risk associated with any activity. This risk is relative, as evidenced by
smoking or driving a car or a tractor. For example, in May this year, 166
Australians died in motor vehicle accidents while there are very few poisonings
from farm chemicals. Many commonly used substances like aspirin or common
salt are more toxic than many pesticides. Despite the relative risks being low,
all users of farm chemicals, whether on a large scale or in the home, have a
responsibility to use them carefully, properly and judiciously.
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3.6 Type of pesticides
A. Pesticides can be broadly classified into six categories:
 Insecticides: used against insects
 Fungicides: used for preventing fungus
 Herbicides: used for removing weeds
 Rodenticides: used against rodents
 Nemanticides: used for killing pests in the plant root
 Regulants: used for nourishing plants
EXHIBIT: 3.2
B. TYPES OF PESTICIDE FORMULATION BASIS
Dust (D or DU)
Solid Granules (G or GR)
Soluble powder (SP)
Wettable powder (WP or W)
Aerosol (A)
Liquid Emulsifiable concentrate (EC or E)
Solution (SN)
Gases Fumigants
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Pesticides can be manufactured and sold mainly in two forms- Technical
and Formulations. Technicals are the first stage of manufacture where the
chemical is concentrated and unsuitable for direct use. This is then processed
with other materials to create formulations. The conversion from technical
grade to formulations adds substantial value to the product. Pest control is thus
an urgent necessity. The current demand for technical grade pesticides stands at
about 85,000 tonnes per annum and has been growing at 5-10 per cent
annually.
Processed foods and agricultural product exports are being given a thrust
in India. For this purpose, quality and quantity have to be taken care of. In
order to increase production and improve the quality of agricultural products,
the country’s dependence on better quality seeds and irrigation will have to
increase. This, in, turn rises the demand for pesticides.
Annual loss of agricultural produce by pests and pathogens alone is

30 per cent. So, use of pesticides has increased the yield from high yielding
varieties of plants which are more easy victims of pests and parasites than their
wild relatives. Flit, baygon and mosquito coils are pesticides. DDT
(insecticide), 2-4-D (weedicide) are two synthetic pesticides introduced after
world war -2. Bordeaux mixture is a fungicide used from a century ago. This
mixture of copper sulphate and calcium hydroxide was discovered in Bordeaux
University in France as an effective killer of fungus Plasmopara viticola,
causing deadly downy mildew in vine.
C. The pesticides used in India can be classified into five on the basis of
chemical nature.
1. Organ chlorides: - These are organic compounds with several atoms of

chlorine per molecule. ALDRIN, DIELDRIN and ENDRIN are organo
chlorine pesticides. Aldrin is used in the foundation of buildings to prevent
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attack by termites. All these chemicals are lipophillc and get bioaccumulated in
the fatty tissue of animals.
2.Organophosphates:- MALATHIION (Flit) used in antimalarial programmes

and PARATHION are esters of organic compounds with phosphoric acid.
Fenitrethion, malathion and parathion are very effective on the nervous system.
3. Carbamates:- These are compounds having a chemical structure similar to

acetylecholine. Carbofuran (furadon), propoxur (baygon) are carbamate
pesticides.
4. Pyrethroids:- These are synthetic products from pyrethin, a plant chemical

extracted from chrysanthemum cinerarifolium.
5. Triazines:- These are compound like simazine, altrazine derived from urea.
They are effective weedicides (herbicides) used against the weeds of tea,
tobacco and cotton.
D. Grouped Pesticides Based on Application Features
Pesticides can also be classified according to how or when they work.

Some groups that describe how or when pesticides work are:
 Contact pesticides generally control a pest as a result of direct contact.

Insects are killed when sprayed directly or when they crawl across
surfaces treated with a residual contact insecticide. Weed foliage is
killed when enough surface area is covered with a contact herbicide.
 Systemic pesticides are pesticides which are absorbed by plants or

animals and move to untreated tissues. Systemic or translocated
herbicides move within the plant to untreated areas of leaves, stems or
roots. They may kill weeds with only partial spray coverage. Systemic
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insecticides or fungicides move throughout treated plants and kill certain
insects or fungi. Some systemic insecticides are applied to animals and
move through the animal to control pests such as warble grubs, lice, or
fleas. Some pesticides only move in one direction within the plant,
either up or down. Knowing what direction the pesticide moves will
help guide your decisions. For example some insecticides only move
upwards in plants. If applied to the root zone, it will travel throughout
the plant, but if applied to the leaves it will not move throughout the
plant. Some pesticides are considered locally systemic. These will only
move a short distance in a plant from the point of contact.
 Foliar pesticides are applied to plant leaves, stems and branches. Note,
they may be either a contact pesticide or a systemic pesticide.
 Soil applied pesticides are applied to the soil. Some are taken up by
roots and translocated inside the plant. Other soil applied herbicides kill
weed seedlings by contact with young shoots or leaves as they break
through the soil.
 Fumigants are chemicals that are applied as toxic gas or as a soild or

liquid which forms a toxic gas. The gas will penetrate cracks and
crevices of structures or soil or the spaces between products stored in
containers.
 Preplant herbicides are applied to the soil before seeding or

transplanting.
 Pre-emergent herbicides are applied to the soil after planting but before
emergence of the crop or weed. The pesticide label should indicate if a
pesticide is pre-emergent to the crop or weed.
 Post emergent herbicides are applied after the crop or weed has
emerged.
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 Tranlocated herbicides enter the roots or above ground parts of plants
and move within the plants. They are also called systemic herbicides.
 Eradicant fungicides destroy fungi that have already invaded plants and
begun to damage plant tissues. They inhibit metabolic processes of
growing fungal organisms.
 Protectant fungicides prevent fungal infections. They rated fungal

growth or prevent or transmission from entering treated plants. They
must be used before the fungi reach the infection stage. Once plants
infected, the fungicide will normally not kill the fungi inside the plant.
 Selective pesticides will only control certain pests.
 Non selective pesticides will control a wide range of pests.
 Suffocating insecticides clog the breathing system of insects and may

affect eggs.
 Residual pesticides do not break down quickly and may control pests for
a long time (i.e., several weeks or a year).
 Non residual pesticides are quickly made inactive after application and
do not affect future crops.
3.7 Pesticides Production and Consumption Pattern in India
In order to meet the needs of a growing population agricultural

production and protection, technology has to play a crucial role. An overview
of plant protection chemicals is thus presented here. Crop losses due to pests: It
has been estimated that 18 per cent of the gross national agricultural production
is lost due to insect pests, plant pathogens, weeds, rodents, birds, nematodes
and in storage. Table 3.1 shows the estimated crop losses due to pests in India.
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Agricultural chemicals have come to stay as an essential input in
increasing agricultural production by preventing crop losses before and after
harvesting to keep pace with the ever increasing demand for food, feed and
fibre. Production of pesticides: From a meager 2000 MT a year during fifties,
the production of pesticides and allied chemicals in India touched a level of
85030 MT during 1994-95, 85338 MT in 2008-09 (Table 3.2)
TABLE: 3.1
ESTIMATED CROP LOSSES DUE TO PESTS IN INDIA
Crop Mn Mt Value (Rs. Crores)
Rice 26.3 9468
Wheat 3.3 1213
Sorghum & Millets 8.9 2670
Pulses 5.6 3752
Seed Cotton 2.7 3105
Mustard 2.9 2407
Sugarcane 56.8 4373
Groundnut 1.4 1260
Maize 3.2 992
Total - 29240
Other crops (fruits, vegetables, spices, medicinal crops etc) - 30000
Losses in storages (due to stored grain insects, fungi and rodents) - 30000
Estimated crop losses - 90000
Source: Dept. of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
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TABLE: 3.2
PRODUCT –WISE PRODUCTION OF MAJOR CHEMICALS
(Figures in MT)
Capacity (March) Production
Products 2009-
2005 2006 2008-09 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
10
D.D.T 6344 6344 6.30 6.30 3513 2937 4471 4036 4429 4495 3441 3305 2556
Malathion 11850 11760 8.80 8.80 5597 4248 3945 4710 2740 4297 3968 2000 486
Parathion-(methyi) 4000 4000 4.00 4.00 2055 2038 1305 975 464 0 0 0 0
Dimethoate 3220 3220 3.20 3.20 847 758 923 897 828 971 871 558 649
D.D.V.P 4290 4320 5.40 5.40 2832 2512 3458 4984 3840 6890 3292 2734 1902
Quinalphos 4000 4000 4.00 4.00 2111 1770 1841 866 855 823 524 888 551
Monocrotophos 13915 13965 14.00 14.00 6706 6519 8121 9507 4899 4913 5118 4570 4644
Phosphamidon 3900 3900 3.90 3.90 534 835 356 393 542 366 710 845 558
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Phorate 8200 8200 8.20 8.20 4767 3156 5083 3637 6220 5713 3229 2029 1511
Ethion 5630 5630 5.60 5.60 4132 1680 2829 1788 1508 1804 771 157 226
Endosulphan 10100 10100 9.90 9.90 4489 3663 3597 3054 2939 3898 3960 4263 2376
Fenvalerate 2650 2650 2.60 2.60 1192 522 821 627 573 515 719 488 295
Cypermetnrin 5900 6900 6.90 6.90 5128 5078 5173 6524 6484 5064 4659 4034 3935
Anilophos 1100 1100 1.10 1.10 596 354 471 363 197 21 0 0 0
Accephate 6120 9220 9.20 9.20 4354 4837 3993 6136 8475 8333 10059 9652 7977
Chlorpyriphos 8640 9090 9.10 9.10 6950 6400 8108 9128 4942 4715 4539 3887 1981
Phosalone 1000 1000 1.00 1.00 513 438 486 543 274 246 499 0 0
Matasystox - - - - 660 513 499 556 317 629 0 0 0
Abate - - - - 1 45 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Fenthion - - - - 69 905 220 179 330 122 0 0 0
Triazophos - - - - 1523 1151 2110 2942 2853 1835 1841 2026 911
Lindane 1400 730 0.70 0.70 266 331 414 375 177 251 75 0 0
Temephos 240 240 0.20 0.20 208 122 91 253 29 98 78 129 0
Deltamethrin 547 547 0.50 0.50 97 212 182 390 310 341 256 26 17
Alphamethrin 1268 1528 1.50 1.50 303 194 209 330 249 172 211 16 0
Table Contd …
PRODUCT –WISE PRODUCTION OF MAJOR CHEMICALS
(Figures in MT)
Capacity (March) Production
Products
2005 2006 2008-09 2009-10 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Captan & Captafol 1800 1800 1.80 1.80 1177 782 838 852 13 192 0 0 0
Ziram (Thiobarbamate) 454 454 0.50 0.50 0 0 278 285 112 243 185 67 0
Carbendzim (Bavistin) 1465 1465 1.50 1.50 702 1263 835 732 426 138 68 186 183
Calixin 200 200 0.20 0.20 61 52 46 74 35 29 0 0 0
Mancozab 20700 20700 20.70 20.70 11628 10188 17251 20801 18857 22875 27115 35338 22042
Copper-oxychloride 1500 1500 1.50 1.50 18 237 153 0 0 0 0 0 0
2,4-D 1200 1200 1.20 1.20 215 0 186 132 329 0 270 214 0
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Butachlor 500 500 0.50 0.50 363 244 333 264 254 182 28 119 193
Isoproturon 5388 5388 5.40 5.40 3779 2657 4409 4664 4295 3150 2962 2979 2056
Basalin 0 0 - - 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Glyphosate 3900 2640 2.60 2.60 409 107 308 1019 1517 2100 1517 2331 1088
Paraquat - - - - 1000 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Diuron 100 100 0.10 0.10 0 48 64 0 0 0 75 12 74
Atrazin 500 500 0.50 0.50 203 200 61 39 0 93 218 263 152
Fluchloralin 200 200 0.20 0.20 133 185 157 172 119 101 0 0 0
Zinc phosphide 860 860 0.90 0.90 338 235 226 307 254 807 462 376 175
Aluminium phosphide 2300 2300 2.30 2.30 2184 1991 1174 1362 1518 1526 1615 1722 1127
Methyl bromide 150 150 - - 41 56 93 70 37 51 88 88 19

Dicofol 150 150 0.20 0.20 109 102 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Total 145681 148551 146.20 146.20 81803 69565 85118 93.97 82.24 85.00 83.42 85.34 82.19
Note: *: (Figures in MT)
Source: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Govt. of India. (11342) & (12486)
3.7.1 Consumption Pattern
Interestingly, India’s consumption of pesticides per hectare is low when

compared with world averges-0.380 kg/ha against Korea’s 16.56 kg/ha and
Japan’s 10.80 kg/ha (Table 3). According to the pesticide industry statistics,
India spends $3/ha on pesticides compared with $24/ha spend by Philippines,
$255/ha by South Korea and $633/ha by Japan.
TABLE: 3.3
CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF PESTICIDES IN
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Country or Area Pesticides use (Kg ha’a.i)
Republic of Korea 16.56
Italy 13.35
Hungary 12.57
Japan 10.80
China 2.0-2.5
Europe 1.90
USA 1.50
Mexico 1.38
Thailand 1.37
Indonesia 0.58
India 0.38
Turkey 0.30
Argentina 0.29
Latin America 0.22
Oceania 0.20
Africa 0.13
Source: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Govt. of India. (11342) &
(12486)
i. Pesticides registered: As on 13/11/2009, about 221 pesticides

belonging to different chemical groups are registered for use, but
only 84 pesticides are in use.
ii. Consumption of pesticides: The consumption of pesticides during

2005-06 was 42378 MT. Over the years, the consumption has come
down due to the introduction of low dose pesticides (Table 3.4).
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TABLE 3.4
CONSUMPTION OF INDIGENOUS PESTICIDES
S. No Pesticides 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
1. Acephate 750 782 440 393 464
2. Cypermethrin 1300 1315 32 641 2154
3. Dichlorvos 1070 1250 818 1295 1849
4. Dimethoate 1500 2009 625 1412 785
5. Endosulphan 3985 2000 2900 1303 3537
6. Ethion 415 410 315 294 143
7. Fenitrothion 415 410 412 421 133
8. Fenthion 60 79 62 108 49
9. Fenvalerate 2100 1192 975 1088 938
10. Lindane 700 615 - 867 661
11. Metal Dehyde 32 40 07 72 11
12. Malathion 2600 2384 3015 3035 1340
13. Methyi parathion 3008 3028 3200 3142 1472
14. Monocrotophos 2815 3205 3115 3500 1465
15. Neem based insecticides 736 632 824 1051 991
16. Oxydemeton methyl 512 382 213 352 166
17. Paradichlora-benzene 0 0 1 168 81
18. Phorate 2215 2316 3010 2155 263
19. Phosalone 218 275 145 130 251
20. Phosphamidon 1100 1020 1480 883 579
21. Pyrethrum 13 10 11 11 34
22. Quinalphos 2181 2318 1650 2106 1301
23. Sevidol 0 0 0 0 0
24. Temephos 0 0 1 0 0
25. Triazophos 114 108 115 105 0
26. Aureofungin 8 5 12 21 20
27. Captafol/Difolaton 419 344 15 142 45
28. Captan 170 256 200 167 65
29. Carbendazim 625 859 400 603 2167
30. Copper oxychloride 1122 1213 1080 1172 1497
31. Copper sulphate 1042 1128 514 491 1118
32. Curprous oxide 5 2 5 125 19
33. Ethyl mercury chloride 0 0 0 0 0
34. Ferbam 25 9 12 11 9
35. Lime sulphur 32 45 20 40 49
36. Mancozeb 2577 2800 2615 2300 3649
37. MEMC 71 81 22 784 680
38. Organo mercurials 0 0 0 0 0
39. Nickel chloride 55 60 0 0 4
40. Paris green 0 0 0 0 0
Table Contd…
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CONSUMPTION OF INDIGENOUS PESTICIDES
S. No Pesticides 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
41. PMA 0 0 0 0 0
42. Streptocycline 39 47 20 18 66
43. Sulphur 2332 3185 3010 490 3224
44. Thiram 419 402 302 180 551
45. Zineb 318 418 205 48 85
46. Ziram 277 385 100 47 128
47. Alachlor 142 150 95 169 50
48. Anilophos 535 716 200 401 243
49. Butachlor 2019 2480 1520 2290 2699
50. Dalapon 72 85 17 30 34
51. 2.4-D 612 680 612 534 565
52. Diuron 12 11 10 18 29
53. Fluchloralin 155 213 115 289 82
54. Glyphosate 180 178 162 826 216
55. Isoproturon 2512 2618 2208 1140 2140
56. Paraquat dischioride 110 156 70 973 148
57. Propanil 0 0 30 0 16
58. TCA 0 0 15 0 0
59. Aluminium phosphide 234 250 142 255 148
60. Barium carbonate 0 0 0 0 0
61. EDCT mixture 0 0 0 0 0
62. EDB 18 23 0 0 7
63. Methyl bromide 4 7 7 0 12
64. Warfarin 6 10 1 0 13
65. MB+FDB 0 0 0 0 0
66. Zinc phosphide 220 359 215 188 798
67. Alpha napthyl acetic acid 18 19 25 34 818
68. Chiormequat chloride 12 4 10 0 21
69. Others 0 0 0 0 0
Total 43800 45130 37352 38278 42378
Source: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Govt. of India. (11342) & (12486)
Of the top 20 pesticides sold in India, 16 are insecticides. However, the

global market is dominated by herbicides, which have a 48 per cent share
followed by insecticides and fungicides which account for only 29 per cent and
17 per cent respectively
iii. Overall performance: The overall performance of pesticides ie.,

capacity, production, import, export and consumption in different
years in given in (Table 3.5)
67
TABLE: 3.5
PERFORMANCE OF PESTICIDES DURING 2003-04 TO 2008-09
(Figure in Thousand MT)
Pesticides (Technical) 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Capacity 134 146 148 145 146 146

Production 85 94 82 85 83 85
Capacity utilization (per
63.4 64.4 55.4 58.6 56.8 58.2
cent)
Import 3 3 3 3 1 0
Export 26 27 27 33 25 0
Consumption 62 70 58 55 56 85
Source: Annual report 2009, Deptt. Of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
iv. Crop-wise consumption: The consumption of pesticides largely

depends upon the pest problem in use region or on a specific crop.
Based on the likely incidence of such posts during kharft/ rabt, the
State Governments make an assessment of the requirement.
However, the projected demand and the actual consumption are
strongly governed by the climatic and other conditions.
TABLE: 3.6
CROP-WISE CONSUMPTION OF PESTICIDES IN INDIA
Crop Share of pesticide use (per cent)
Cotton 44.5
Paddy 22.8
Jowar 8.9
Fruits and vegetables 7.0
Wheat 6.4
Arhar 2.8
Other 7.6
Total 100.0
Source: Annual report 2009, Deptt. Of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
Cotton, paddy, vegetables and fruits are grown in 32 per cent of the
cultivated area and account for over 80per cent of the pesticide consumption in
the country. While cotton is planted on about 4.5-5 per cent of the total
cultivable area (on about 7.5 million ha). It accounts for about 45 per cent of
68
pesticide consumption in India, followed by rice (23 per cent), jowar
(9 per cent), vegetables (7 per cent), wheat (6 per cent) and pulses (4 per cent)
(Table 3.6).
v. State-wise consumption: Based on the data on consumption of

pesticides for the year 2001-01, three States viz. Haryana, Punjab
and Uttar Pradesh consumed more than 5000 MT (technical grade)
pesticides annually, Nine States viz., Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, Orissa and Tamil Nadu consumed pesticides between
1000 and 5000 MT. Three States viz., Assam, Bihar and Himachal
Pradesh consumed pesticides between 100 and 1000 MT. Seven
States viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Delhi and UT of Pondicherry
consumed pesticides between 10 and 100 MT annually. Three States
viz., Goa, Meghalaya, Sikkim and five UTs viz., Andman & Nicobar
islands Chandigarh, Dadara & Nagar, Haveli, Daman & Dlu and
Lakshadweep consumed less than 10 MT pesticides annually.
(Table 3.7).
69
TABLE: 3.7
CONSUMPTION OF PESTICIDES IN VARIOUS STATES (MT Technical grade)
S. No Name of State/ U.T 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
1. Andhra Pradesh 4000 3850 3706 2034 2133 1997 1394 1541 1381 1015
2. Arunachal Pradesh 13 17 15 147 17 2 17 16 150 19
3. Assam 245 237 181 175 170 165 165 158 10.00 10.0
4. Bihar 853 890 1010 860 850 875 890 870 915 828
5. Chhatisgarh NA NA NA 332 486 450 550 570 270 205
6. Goa 6 5 5 5 5 5 9 2.3 2650 2750
7. Gujarat 2822 4100 4500 4000 2900 2700 2670 2660 8.90 10.30
8. Haryana 5025 5020 5012 4730 4520 4560 4600 4391 42.88 4070
9. Himachal Pradesh 302 311 380 360 310 300 292 296 322 328
10. Jammu & Kashmir 1 4 98 9 12 1433 829 1248 2679.27 1640
11. Jharkhand 150 36 40 56 69 70 82 81 85 88.5
12. Karnataka 2020 2500 2700 1692 2200 1638 1362 1588 1675 1647
13. Kerala 754 1345 902 326 360 571 545 880 272.69 631
14. Madhya Pradesh 871 714 1026 662 749 787 957 696 663 645
15. Maharashtra 3239 3135 3725 3385 3030 3198 3193 3050 2400 4639
16. Manipur 20 14 19 25 26 28 26 26 30.36 30.36
In India, Andhra Pradesh (A.P) ,Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Punjab
account for 50per cent of the total pesticide market. A.P alone consumes 24 per
centof the total pesticides. The herbicides have a good market in Punjab and
Haryana. Insecticides are much in demand in the southern states and
Maharashtra.
vi. Export and Import: India is a net exporter of agrochemicals. The key
export destination markets are USA, UK, France, Netherlands,
Belgium, Spain, South Africa, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore.
Some of the agro-chemicals exported over the years include
cypermethrin, isoproturon, endosulphan and aluminium phosphide.
Exports consist mostly of off-patent products. The value of export
and import during last five years is given in Table 3.8.
TABLE: 3.8
EXPORT AND IMPORT OF PESTICIDES
(Rupees in crores)
Year Export Import

2001-02 1356.45 362.01
2002-03 1487.51 286.97
2003-04 1745.56 501.06
2004-05 2095.53 712.48
2005-06 2790.69 754.41
2006-07 5717.80 840.50
2007-08 4585.23 695.49
Source: Directorate of Plant, Protection, Quarantine & Storage
Pesticide regulation: The Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules.

1971 regulate the import, registration process, manufacture, sale transport,
distribution and use of insecticides (pesticides) with a view to prevent risk to
human beings or animals and for all connected matters, throughout India. All
insecticides (pesticides) have to necessarily undergo the registration process
with the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB & RC)
before they can be made available for use or sale. Thus, technically all
insecticides pesticides in India are those substances that are listed on the
71
"Schedule" of the Insecticides Act, 1968. The Registration certificate mandates
that a label be put on the packaging, which clearly indicates the nature of the
insecticide (agricultural or household use), composition, active ingredient,
target pest(s), recommended dosage, caution sign and safety precautions.
Therefore, a pesticide labeled for agriculture should not be used in a household.
The CIB & RC scrutinizes and periodically reviews all pesticides and
their usage, some are banned from registration (Table 3.9). Sometimes a
pesticide can be banned even after registration when it causes serious
environmental and public health concerns. Some pesticides are meant for
"Restricted Use" (Table 3.10) which means that they can be used only for
prescribed purposes and by authorized personnel by obtaining the appropriate
Government license.
TABLE 3.9
LIST OF PESTICIDES FOR WHICH REGISTRATION REFUSED
S. No Name of pesticide Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use (25 Nos)
1. Calcium Arsonate Aldnn
2. EPM Benzene hexachloride
3. Azinphos Methyl Calcium cyanide
4. Lead Arsonate Chlordane
5. Mevinphos (Phosdrin) Copper acetoarsenite
6. 2,4,5-T Cibromochloropropane
7. Carbophenothion Endrin
8. Vamidothion Ethyl Mercury Chloride
9. Mephosfolan Ethyl Parathion
10. Azinphos ethyl Heptachlor
11. Binapacryl Menazone
12. Dicrotophos Nitrofen
13. Thiodemeton / Disulfoton Paraquat dimethyl sulpha
14. Fentin acetate Pentachloronitrobenzene
15. Fentin hydroxide Pentachlorophenol
16. Chinomethionate (Morestan) Phenyl mercury acetate
17. Ammonium sukphamate Sodium methane arsonate
Tetradifon
Toxafen
Aldicarb
Chlorobenzilate
18. Leptophos (Phosvel)
Dieldrine
Maleic hydrazide
Ethylene dibromide
TCA (Trichloro acetic acid)
72
B. Pesticide / Pesticide formulations banned for use but their
manufacture is allowed fir export (2 Nos): Nicotin sulfare and Captafol 80 per
cent Powder
C. Pesticide formulations banned for import, manufacture and use are:

Mehomyl 24 per cent L, Methomyl 12.5 per cent L, Phosphamidon 85 per cent
SL, Carbofuron 50 per cent SP, D. Pesticide withdrawn, Dalapon. Ferbam,
Formothion, Nickel , chloride, Paradichlorobenzene (PDCB), Simazine,
Warfarin and
TABLE: 3.10
PESTICIDES RESTRICTED FOR USE IN INDIA
S. No Name of Pesticides
1. Aluminium Phosphide
2. DDT
3. Lindane
4. Methyl bromide
5. Methyl parathion
6. Sodium cyanide
7. Methoxy ethyl mercury chioride (MEMC)
8. Monocrotophos (banned for use on vegetable)
9. Endosulphan
Agriculture has had to face the destructive activities of numerous pests

like fungi, weeds and insects from time immemorial, leading to radical
decrease in yields. With the advent of chemical pesticides, this crisis was
resolved to a great extent. But the over dependence on chemical pesticides and
eventual uninhibited use of them has necessitated for alternatives mainly for
environmental concerns. Degraded soils and groundwater pollution has resulted
in nutritionally imbalanced and unproductive lands. Violative pesticide
residues also sometimes raise food safety concerns among domestic consumers
and pose trade impediments for export crops. However, it is has been noticed
that the Indian crop protection market primarily serves the production of
cotton, rice, soybeans, groundnuts, fruits, vegetables, wheat and other cereals.
Although India produces about 16 per cent of the world’s food, it uses just
73
2 per cent of the world’s pesticides, one of the lowest per-hectare consumption
rates in the world.
TABLE: 3.11
SIGNIFICANCE OF SYMBOLS ON THE PESTICIDES CONTAINER
OR PACKING OR LABEL
Sl. Colour of Signal word Warning symbol

Toxicity Category
No triangle on label on label
Skull and cross
1 Extremely toxic Bright Red Poison
bones
Bright
2 Highly toxic Poison -
Yellow
3 Moderately toxic Bright Blue Danger -
4 Slightly toxic Bright Green Caution -
3.8 Pesticides Marketing Practices
Nothing can be more disheartening for farmers when a large part of their
production is destroyed by insects, weeds and pests. However, it is not wrong
to say that protecting agricultural farms and lands from these unwanted pests is
a tough task. But, with the availability of several kinds of agrochemicals, these
problems can be solved to a significant level. Agrochemicals are those kinds of
substances, which are actively used in managing agricultural ecosystem. These
products, commonly referred as crop protection chemicals play a vital role in
controlling the attacks of pests, weeds, fungi, diseases and other undesirable
pests which pose serious threats to the crop production. Agrochemical products
include wide ranges of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.
These agrochemical products aid in protecting crops from the harmful attacks
of pest, insects, unwanted weeds and fungi respectively. It may also include
synthetic fertilizers, hormones and other chemical growth agents, and
concentrated stores of raw animal manure. It is to be noted that safety of
agrochemical products for consumer and environment is carefully regulated
and only after a comprehensive safety assessment, a particular agrochemical
product is allowed to be sold within a country. Each agrochemical product has
a specific application that is clearly mentioned on its label for clearly stating its
74
use to the consumers. Education and training programs are also organized to
convey the safe and proper use of the crop protection products. Moreover,
recommended precautions that have to be adopted while using these products
and the effective way of applying the agrochemical products are also taught to
increase productivity and save input costs.
3.8.1 Agrochemical Manufacturer
It is now a well-known fact that India has become a major centre for
chemical and pharmaceutical Industry. Many factors play vital role in
flourishing chemical and pharmaceutical industries in India, but one cannot
ignore Gujarat's contribution to flourish these industries. Ankleshwar based
GIDC is Asia's largest industrial development centre which is also renowned
for utmost chemical zone with modern infrastructure facilities. All kind of
chemical manufacturing companies are there; from small traditional company
to multinational giants have their base in Ankleshwar. All kind of chemical
products are produced. From pharmaceutical product to agrochemical products
everything is produced at same industrial estate.
Today agrochemical products are emerging as necessary products for

agriculture industry. Agrochemical products especially apply to crop protection
from harmful insects and germs. With the growing population, the demand for
food crops is also increasing and for efficiently meeting the demand farmers
have to constantly take the help of crop protecting chemical products. Wide
range of chemical products includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides,
synthetic fertilizers, and chemical growth agents. Agrochemical products are
boon to the farmers, as with the use of these products farmers can increase the
agricultural productivity that efficiently helps to provide food for the ever
growing population and also contributes toward eradicating poverty. Many
manufacturers are involved in manufacturing of agrochemical products and
offer wide range of products like insecticides, fungicide, herbicides, etc.
75
3.8.2 Marketing of Pesticides
Agriculture has an impact on the lives of everyone, from farmers to
consumers. Pesticides companies play an important role and responsibilities in
agribusiness. They are committed to sustainable agriculture, through
innovative research and technology.
3.8.3 Marketing strategy
The marketing of agrochemicals is done through “rural marketing”. Here,

the consumer targeted is the farmer the attitudes, lifestyle and consumer
behaviour of the farmers differ from those of the urban consumers. Hence, a
slightly different approach has to be adopted while marketing agrochemicals.
Marketing strategy of pesticides companies is based on the 4 P’s of marketing,
namely, Product, Price, Place (distribution) and Promotion.
a. Product
Indian pesticide manufacturing companies are engaged in constant

endeavor to provide the farmers with the best product. Pesticide manufactures
continuously meet the demand of the farmers by adding new products,
changing existing ones and eliminating others. The ideas for development of
new products or modification in existing products come from the feedback
received from the farmers and also sometimes dealers. Pesticide manufactures
have a huge network of field-workers who practically go into the farms to find
solutions to recurrent as well as new problems related to crop production and
collect feedback. It has to conduct ongoing research & development activities,
as one of the inherent features of agrochemicals is obsolescence due to the
ability of the pests to gain immunity to these products.
b. Price
The products offered by Syngenta are premium end products and hence
are priced slightly higher. But their product range consists of the best that is to
be offered in the market due to their immense R&D activities and emphasis on
76
technology. The farmers too believe in the quality of their products and price
comes secondary to such quality products.
c. Place (Physical Distribution)
Syngenta makes very little use of middlemen as they strongly believe in

“personal selling”. Their general channel of distribution is:
EXHIBIT: 3.3
CHANNEL OF DISTRIBUTION
Company Sales Person
Dealer /Retailer
Farmer
They have strict policies when it comes to offering credit to middlemen.

Since the company salespersons are in very close contact with the
farmers, they can offer timely supply of their products.
d. Promotion
Since Syngenta is a newly formed company, it is currently engaging

itself in a lot of marketing activities. As mentioned earlier Syngenta very
strongly believes in personal selling, that is, creating demand at the grassroots
level. Their target audiences are the farmers and also opinion leaders like
village chiefs or teachers (as they are educated). They also target influencers
like the Department of Agriculture to help promote their product.
They use media like “direct mailers” to inform the farmers about their
products and schemes, which, helps in creating a good rapport with the farmers
and schemes, which, helps in creating a good rapport with the farmer and they
distinguish Syngenta from rest of the companies. Press or print media is used
77
very judiciously since many of the farmers are not educated. For print
advertising, popular regional newspapers or trade journals are used. For
television advertising, regional television is used extensively and the most
preferred channel is Doordarshan since the reach of Cable television is
minimal. Programmes like “aamchi maati, aamchi mansa” which are targeted
towards farmers are used advertising. Radio is a very essential media since it
has a wide reach. Audio advertising is also done through vehicles, which
announce the product and its features by way of catchy phrases. Films and
slides are another very effective way of marketing. T h e y a r e screened at
village theatres or at farmer meetings specially organized to inform them about
the product. The films are either educational where only the product story is
told or they may be theme based like a feature film wherein the product story is
told through dramatization of a theme which appeals to the farmer. Other
media used are wall paintings, hoardings and point of purchase media like
posters and danglers.
Another effective way of marketing is “word-of-mouth publicity”. The

company targets influencers like village sarpanch or a very prosperous farmer
who enjoys very good reputation among the farmers. These people inform
other farmers about the company and its products.
e. Public relations
This element is used to build preferences and awareness among the
farmers. This is done through trade fairs, sponsorship of events, public service
activities. For instance, Syngenta is involved in a project called “Project
Sahyog” to help farmers cultivating rice. It also organizes lot of training
programmes to create awareness and train the farmers about modern farming
techniques and use of High Yielding Varieties. This is in short the marketing
strategy of Syngenta Cropscience. Other agrochemical companies also adopt a
similar strategy.
78
3.9 Competitive Positioning of the Key Players
The Indian pesticides market can be divided into three major groups as
follows: On the one hand, there are large Indian companies that produce both
technical grade pesticides and formulations and have a large product portfolio
of generic products. Key players among them are Excel Industries, Rallis
Industries. On the other side, there are a larger number of subsidiaries of
multinational companies catering to niche segments like specialty products.
The chief players are Monsanto Chemicals, Bayer (India), Novartis (India) and
Cyanamid Agro. Lastly, there is presence of a large number of small players
engaged in formulation business. The local market is characterized by large
capacities with low capacity utilization that has resulted in a steady decline in
the selling prices of many generic products. The uncertain weather conditions
coupled with long credit period for farmers and poor economic status of
farmers have resulted in low margins for the players in the industry. Many
Indian players have very little investments in research and development
activities. Consequently, the Indian players own very few proprietary
molecules and product patents. Patent protection is necessary so that producers
can invest in intensive research and development and identify new and more
effective but less harmful products. The following factors are considered by
industry players as critical for the future growth in this industry:
 To have a global reach: There are more than 100 countries particularly
high priced US and European markets, which offer opportunities for the
Indian players to improve sales revenues and improve capacity
utilization.
 To obtain global registration: It is mandatory for players operating

outside India to comply with various rules and regulations like
registration of pesticides to enable local sales in the country.
 To have extensive distribution channels: A strong reach across the

country using a network of wholesalers and retailers spread
79
geographically across cities and regions will enable the players to
consolidate their position with reference to unorganized players.
 To have large product portfolio: Wide range of product portfolio

covering most of the target markets which are experiencing substantial
growth.
In future, the firms will have to set up integrated world class

manufacturing facilities employing state of the art process and technologies
developed through in-housing research and development to survive in the
fiercely competitive market. Besides, companies will have to provide superior
quality products at cheaper prices with complementary services and build
customer franchise.
3.10 Opportunities for Indian Players

The following table briefly enumerates the opportunities of Indian
players in the industry based on the characteristics of the agrochemical industry
as follows:
TABLE: 3.12
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AGROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIAN PLAYERS
Characteristics of the agrochemical
Opportunities for Indian players
industry
Limited Research and development Exploit the generic business as 70% of
activities molecules are off patent
Seasonal demand Opportunity to tap commercial crops
Set up manufacturing base for global
Environmental regulations
players
Develop niche markets and low
Small scale of operations
dosage molecules in future
Opportunity to develop new markets
Large unutilized idle capacity and increase awareness level for
pesticides usage
80
References
 Pesticides in Agriculture,
http://agropedia.iitk.ac.in/?q=content/pesticides-agriculture, Thu,
11/06/2009
 http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/126100-
PESTICIDES.aspx
 http://www.pesticides-india.com/
 Ashok Kumar Ora, Bharat Bhushan Sharma ,Manish Singhal and
Kamal Bhukkal, Report on Pesticides Industry, Submitted to Institute of
Agri Business Management, S K Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner. 2011
 Sujit Choudhury (2002), Distribution network analysis for marketing of
fertilizer in West Bengal, http://www.geospatialworld.net
 Marketing of Pesticides: Case study on Syngenta Croscience, Project on
Agrochemical, http://www.scribd.con/doc/21254546/Project-Report-on-
Agrochemicals 26
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CHAPTER III

PESTICIDES PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN INDIA

Besides the agriculture, the non - agriculture pests are carriers of

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has defined the term of

3.2 Pesticide Use

Pesticides are defined as the substance or mixture of substances used to

ii. Low Capacity Utilization

Given the uneven food grain production which is highly dependent on

iii. Working Capital intensive

v. Low Brand Awareness and Price-Sensitive Products

The market for pesticides is highly price-sensitive and less brand

3.4 Advantages of Using Pesticides

Modern agriculture is a combination of both and human intervention is

 Cost Effectiveness. Farm chemicals are an economical way of

 Timeliness and Flexibility. A suitable farm chemical is available for

 Quality, Quantity and Price of Produce. Farm chemicals ensure a

 Prevention of Problems. Farm chemicals are frequently used to prevent

 Protection of Pets and Humans. Without farm chemicals, the treatment

 Protection of the Environment. If no farm chemicals were available to

3.5 Potential Adverse Effects of Pesticides

1. Reduction of Beneficial Species. Non-target organisms, including

2. Drift of Sprays and Vapour during application can cause severe

3. Residues in Food for humans and feed for livestock can be a

5. Resistance to the pesticide used can develop in target pests due to

6. Poisoning Hazards and other health effects to operators can occur

7. Other Possible Health Effects due to indiscriminate use of farm

A. Pesticides can be broadly classified into six categories:

 Insecticides: used against insects

 Fungicides: used for preventing fungus

 Herbicides: used for removing weeds

 Rodenticides: used against rodents

 Nemanticides: used for killing pests in the plant root

 Regulants: used for nourishing plants

B. TYPES OF PESTICIDE FORMULATION BASIS

Solid Granules (G or GR)

Soluble powder (SP)

Wettable powder (WP or W)

Liquid Emulsifiable concentrate (EC or E)

Annual loss of agricultural produce by pests and pathogens alone is

1. Organ chlorides: - These are organic compounds with several atoms of

2.Organophosphates:- MALATHIION (Flit) used in antimalarial programmes

3. Carbamates:- These are compounds having a chemical structure similar to

4. Pyrethroids:- These are synthetic products from pyrethin, a plant chemical

D. Grouped Pesticides Based on Application Features

Pesticides can also be classified according to how or when they work.

 Contact pesticides generally control a pest as a result of direct contact.

 Systemic pesticides are pesticides which are absorbed by plants or

 Fumigants are chemicals that are applied as toxic gas or as a soild or

 Preplant herbicides are applied to the soil before seeding or

 Protectant fungicides prevent fungal infections. They rated fungal

 Selective pesticides will only control certain pests.

 Non selective pesticides will control a wide range of pests.

 Suffocating insecticides clog the breathing system of insects and may

3.7 Pesticides Production and Consumption Pattern in India

In order to meet the needs of a growing population agricultural

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Interestingly, India’s consumption of pesticides per hectare is low when

i. Pesticides registered: As on 13/11/2009, about 221 pesticides

ii. Consumption of pesticides: The consumption of pesticides during

Of the top 20 pesticides sold in India, 16 are insecticides. However, the

iii. Overall performance: The overall performance of pesticides ie.,

(Figure in Thousand MT)