STATUS OF HERBICIDES IN INDIA

History of Herbicide use in India

The beginning of herbicide use in India can be traced back to 1937 when sodium arsenite were introduced for the management of wild safflower (Carthamus oxyacantha). Later chemical approach for controlling the weeds gained attention among farming communities. With the introduction of 2,4 D (2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) during the 1950s into the country, chemical synthetic herbicides invaded the Indian agricultural system. Later, they swiftly transposed from agriculture to wherever they can be used. Now, herbicides can be found using in roadsides, households, schools, hospitals etc. But their unbridled use was followed by unpleasant ill-effects. Diseases and poisonings soared among the populace, especially farming communities in the aftermath of unregulated consumption. Many countries have already banned many herbicides for this same reason. But the scenario in our country is not the same. Currently, 87 herbicides are registered in India as per Insecticide act of 1968 of which 20 are HHPs or Highly Hazardous Pesticides (according to PAN International). Registered products also include the herbicides that are banned in other countries for their toxic effect. Paraquat is the highly banned (58 countries) among the registered herbicides in India.

How are herbicides regulated in India?

The registration, manufacture, sale, distribution, import and transport of all plant protection chemicals including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and PGRs (Plant Growth Regulators) are regulated in India under the Insecticide Act of 1968 and Insecticide Rule of 1971. However, there exists no specific or distinct provision for the regulation of herbicides. India is in exigent need of a rigid regulatory system for herbicides as the consumption of these chemicals in the country is nonplussed. As mentioned earlier, many herbicides approved for use in our country are restricted for use in other countries, including controversial herbicides like paraquat and glyphosate. The scenario that such herbicides can be found in every nook and corner of the country is depressing. Even though these poisonous villains claimed many lives of common people in India, there is no furtherance in its restriction. Many indigenous manufacturing companies located in India are assertively producing these chemicals and dumping them in India markets.

Deemed to be Registered Herbicides

The insecticide Act of 1968 requires a mandatory registration scrutiny process to ensure the safety and efficacy of herbicides before they are approved for use. But there are some herbicides that is registered in India whose safety data has not yet been submitted and leaving out the registration scrutiny process. Those are considered ‘Deemed to be Registered pesticides/herbicides’ or DRPs. Among the 87 registered herbicides in India, 9 herbicides have entered into the list of DRPs. They include 2,4 D, atrazine, butachlor, diuron, Methyl bromide, MCPA, paraquat dichloride, propanil and triallate.

Herbicide recommendation in India

The CIB&RC (Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee) provides the approved use for the registered herbicides in India. As per this list, each herbicide is recommended for crops in India instead of weed species. Similarly, herbicide recommendations can be seen in Package of Practices (POPs) provided by State agricultural universities and other related institutions. In many of these POPs, herbicides are falsely recommended for crops contradicting national approved usage. There exists dissimilitude between those provided by states, DWSR (Directorate of Weed Science Research, Jabalpur) and CIB&RC. Such inappropriateness in herbicide recommendation is the major reason for non-approved herbicide use in India and are leading farmers towards misapprehensions. Such resources should be more prudent. Symmetries in information are necessary for the establishment of a rigid regulatory system. Asymmetries in them can lead to misapprehensions and misemployment. The farming community must be aware of ambiguities in the laws and regulations regarding herbicides. Several non-approved uses of herbicides like atrazine and paraquat dichloride are highlighted in the 2015 report “Conditions of Paraquat use in India’ and 2022 report titled ‘State of chlorpyrifos, fipronil, atrazine and paraquat dichloride in India’.

Statistics of herbicides in India

The statistical data for the production, import, export and consumption of registered herbicides in India are provided by the Directorate of Plant protection, Quarantine and Storage, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India. The data provided for the same is incomplete and inadequate for analyzing the status of herbicide use in India. Many herbicides are being manufactured in the country. But there exists no data for the production, consumption or import/export for many of them. Discrepancies can be found. There is no plausible explanation for this discrepancy. Symmetries in information are highly necessary for regulation. Especially, for such toxic chemicals. A rigid regulatory system for herbicide management is highly necessary in India as there exists unbridled and ignorant use of herbicides. Farming communities are at greater risk of the hazards posed by these chemicals as they are routinely using them. The populace, especially farmers must be well aware of the toxic hazards and ambiguities in regulations and recommendations.

Statistics of herbicides in India (2021-22)

(Source- Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage)

 SL NORegistered herbicides in India (As on 1.10.2022)Production (QTY in Metric Ton)Import (QTY in Metric Ton)Export (QTY in Metric Ton)Consumption of Indigenous herbicides (QTY in Metric Ton)Consumption of imported herbicides (QTY in Metric Ton)
12,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid39996600.7233070No DataNo Data
22,4-D sodiumNo Data0.01No Data
32,4-D Amine saltNo Data1031.45No Data
42,4 D ethyl esterNo Data10.20No Data
5AmetryneNo DataNo DataNo Data25No Data
6AnilofosNo DataNo DataNo Data29No Data
7Atrazine1689No DataNo Data331.88No Data
8AzimsulfuronNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
9Bensulfuron- methylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
10BentazonNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
11Bispyribac- sodiumNo DataNo DataNo Data33.01No Data
12ButachlorNo DataNo DataNo Data220.01No Data
13Carfentrazone- ethylNo DataNo DataNo Data16.99No Data
14Chlorimuron- ethylNo DataNo DataNo Data12No Data
15ChlorprophamNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
16CinmethylinNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
17Clethodim (FI-WRT)No DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
18Clodinafop-propargylNo DataNo DataNo Data149.68No Data
19ClomazoneNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
20Cyhalofop- butylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
21DazometNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
22Diclofop- methylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
23DiclosulamNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
24Diuron2325No DataNo Data10.37No Data
25Ethoxy sulfuronNo DataNo DataNo Data1.00No Data
26Fenoxaprop- P-EthylNo DataNo DataNo Data12.01No Data
27FlorasulamNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
28FlorpyrauxifenNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
29Fluazifop-P-butylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
30FlucetosulfuronNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
31FluchloralinNo DataNo DataNo Data14No Data
32FlufenacetNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
33FlumioxazinNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
34FlupyriminNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
35FlurochloridonNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
36Fluroxypyr meptylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
37Fluthiacet methyl (TIM)No DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
38FomesafenNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
39Glufosinate ammoniumNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
40Glyphosate5722No DataNo Data571.06No Data
41Halauxifen-methylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
42Halosulfuron- methylNo DataNo DataNo Data16No Data
43Haloxyfop P MethylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
44HexazinoneNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
45ImazamoxNo DataNo DataNo Data1No Data
46ImazethapyrNo DataNo DataNo Data84.06No Data
47IndaziflamNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
48IsoproturonNo DataNo DataNo Data184No Data
49Mesosulfuron MethylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
50MesotrioneNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
51Metamifop TINo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
52Metamitron (TIM)No DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
53MethabenzthiazuronNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
54Methyl bromideNo Data2213.79221488.48No Data
55Methyl chlorophenoxy acetic acidNo Data 163No DataNo Data
56MetolachlorNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
57Metribuzin1999No DataNo Data105.43No Data
58Metsulfuron- methylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
59OrthosulfamuronNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
60OxadiargylNo DataNo DataNo Data5.14No Data
61OxadiazonNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
62OxyfluorfenNo DataNo DataNo Data29.25No Data
63Paraquat dichlorideNo DataNo DataNo Data127.82No Data
64Pendimethalin4764No DataNo Data201.92No Data
65PenoxsulamNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
66PinoxadenNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
67Pretilachlor3218No DataNo Data657.83No Data
68PropanilNo DataNo DataNo Data2No Data
69PropaquizafopNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
70Pyrazosulfuron- ethylNo DataNo DataNo Data4.30No Data
71PyriftalidNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
72Pyrithiobac- sodiumNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
73PyroxasulfonNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
74Quizalofop- ethylNo DataNo DataNo Data31No Data
75quizalofop-P-tefurylNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
76SaflufenacilNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
77Sodium acifluorfenNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
78Sulfentrazone(TIM)No DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
79SulfosulfuronNo DataNo DataNo Data73.58No Data
80TembotrioneNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
81ThiobencarbNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
82TopramezoneNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
83TriafamoneNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
84TriallateNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
85TriasulfuronNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
86Trifloxysulfuron sodiumNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
87TrifluralinNo DataNo DataNo DataNo DataNo Data
 Total597132814.51354474079.48–