Latest news with #MinistryofAgricultureandFarmers'Welfare
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
New insecticide labelling rules: QR codes, safety symbols mandatory; ban on non-compliant products
New Delhi: In a move aimed at improving traceability, consumer awareness, and environmental safety, the Centre has notified new labelling rules for insecticide packaging, making quick response (QR) codes, safety pictograms or symbols, and detailed usage instructions mandatory across all sizes of insecticide packs. The new rules, notified on 5 June, amend the Insecticides Rules, 1971, and will come into force from the date of publication in the official gazette. This assumes significance as nearly 2.75% of pesticide samples tested across the country in FY24 were found to be substandard or spurious. Of the 80,789 samples analysed, 2,222 failed to meet the prescribed standards, according to data shared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. As per the Insecticides (First Amendment) Rules, 2025, insecticide labels must now be printed only in Hindi and English and contain a wide range of information—from brand names and usage categories to toxicity symptoms and customer care contacts. The QR code on each pack will carry unique product and batch-level data, including links to full label and leaflet information, it said. The amendment allows six months for companies to shift to the new labelling format. Insecticides that do not meet the revised specifications will be barred from sale, distribution, or stocking after 30 months from the date of notification. However, the rules include a provision for submitting suggestions or objections within the next 30 days. The new provisions apply to all insecticide packages, classified into three categories based on net content: ultra-small (1–50 gm/ml), small (51–250 gm/ml), and big (above 250 gm/ml). Labels must follow uniform standards with prescribed font sizes, safety icons, and warnings against misuse, including proper disposal methods. In addition to printed leaflets, large packs sold across states must carry instructions in regional languages. All insecticide labels must prominently display warnings such as 'read leaflet before use,' and mention the re-entry interval after application, approved by the registration committee. The inclusion of QR codes is meant to ensure end-users—particularly farmers—can verify product authenticity and access full usage instructions using their smartphones. The QR codes must link to the manufacturer's website and include manufacturing and expiry dates, batch numbers, and product identifiers. For ultra-small and small packs, a secondary package must also display the full label information unless the primary pack already complies with the new rule. Pictograms indicating toxicity and environmental risk will be mandatory at the bottom of every label, scaled according to the pack size. Industry experts see the rule change as a significant shift toward safer and more accountable agrochemical practices. 'For too long, substandard or counterfeit labels have posed risks not only to farmers but also to consumers and the environment. Digital traceability could be a game-changer,' said Kalyan Goswami, director general of the Agro Chem Federation of India (ACFI), a body representing India's agrochemical sector. India's pesticide market, valued at ₹ 26,000 crore in 2024, is projected to grow to about ₹ 44,010 core by 2033, according to market researcher and consultancy IMARC Group. The expansion is being fuelled by rising food production needs and greater demand for crop protection against pests and diseases.
Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Madhya Pradesh orders crackdown on duplicate PM Kisan beneficiaries
The Madhya Pradesh government has directed district officials to identify and disqualify beneficiaries in cases where both the husband and wife from the same family are availing benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, The Indian Express has learnt. This comes after several such cases were reported from across the state. On May 21, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare issued an SOP to be followed for necessary action in such cases. On May 19, the state's Commissioner, Land Records, wrote a letter to all district collectors to crack down on cases of multiple beneficiaries from the same family. The letter was written following video conferences on May 9 and May 16 by the Centre regarding the PM-KISAN scheme. Under the scheme, eligible families are provided `6,000 per year in three equal instalments. As per clause 3 of the PM-KISAN scheme guidelines, 'A landholding farmer family is defined as a family consisting of husband, wife, and minor children who own cultivable land as per the land records of the concerned State/UT.' The Commissioner's letter said, 'During the aforementioned video conferences, it was highlighted that more than one member of the same family (both husband and wife) is availing the scheme benefits. It was directed that such cases be identified and both members be marked ineligible on the PM-KISAN portal by May 31, 2025.' 'This will allow for adjustment of the excess amount received and ensure that only the rightful amount is credited to one member of the family in future instalments,' the letter read. A government official said district officials were directed to prepare a beneficiary list, weed out those who don't qualify under the scheme through physical visits. 'In cases where both the husband and wife are availing benefits, they should be marked ineligible.' A senior official from Betul district told The Indian Express, 'We have identified 13,000 such cases… there were people from the same family taking benefits of the scheme multiple times. This is an ongoing exercise… the accounts will be adjusted.' Officials said the exercise should be carried out before the 20th instalment of PM-KISAN payments due to be released in the first week of June 2025. The SOP issued by the Centre, a de-duplication exercise is to be carried out using Aadhaar-linked KYC details of beneficiaries and PDS data. In cases with more than one beneficiary linked, the officials have to filter where the members are registered, and whether they are related. Once the total number of instalments transferred to a pair of beneficiaries identified as husband and wife is adjusted against the cumulative entitlement, 'the female beneficiary may be reinstated, subject to eligibility'. 'Their land ownership details should be re-verified, using the Farmer ID or relevant land documents,' the SOP said.
