A farmer sprays pesticides in a watermelon field, in Nagaon. File.
| Photo Credit: ANI
CropLife India, an umbrella body of various pesticide manufacturers, has warned of about 20-25% increase in the pesticide and crop protection chemicals as an impact of the war in West Asia. They said the increase in prices is driven by escalating fuel prices and persistent supply chain disruptions and this could also lead to the sale of spurious pesticides.
Chairman of CropLife India Ankur Aggarwal said in a statement here on Friday (March 20, 2026) that the disruption in supply chains and key shipping routes due to the conflict is likely to impact input costs by 20 – 25% for the crop protection industry, leading to a rise in costs for the farmers accordingly. “The disruptions may lead to shortage of certain crop protection products during a critical agriculture season, impacting yield and quality of produce,” Mr. Aggarwal added. The kharif season begins by the end of this month in most parts of the country.
He added that the industry is expected to see lower capacity utilisation in this period across technical and formulation plants, and this may affect industry earnings and employment as well, particularly among the MSMEs. “At this juncture, the industry requests for support and incentives on the energy front to enhance local production and capacity,” he said adding that the industry is working closely with the Government.
“The supply gaps and volatility could spur circulation of illicit, counterfeit or substandard products, therefore, it is critical that we remain vigilant and activate all monitoring mechanisms,” he warned.
Published – March 21, 2026 02:40 am IST
