Indian Agrochemical Industry Fights Against Data Protection Proposal in New Bill
The Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) strongly opposes five years of Regulatory Data Protection (RDP) for agrochemicals in the Pesticides Management Bill, 2025. In a letter to the Agriculture Minister, PMFAI argues RDP extends market exclusivity, limits competition, and raises costs for Indian farmers. The association highlights that multiple government bodies and parliamentary committees have previously rejected such provisions, deeming current patent terms sufficient to attract innovation.
The Indian agrochemical sector, spearheaded by the Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI), is intensifying its opposition to a proposed provision for five years of Regulatory Data Protection (RDP) for agrochemicals within the upcoming Pesticides Management Bill, 2025. PMFAI, representing over 221 Indian companies, sent a letter on April 27 to Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, urging the government to reject demands for RDP, primarily advocated by multinational corporations and importer groups.PMFAI argues that granting RDP would unfairly extend market exclusivity beyond the standard 20-year patent terms, severely limiting competition from Indian manufacturers. This, in turn, would lead to higher prices for pesticides, placing an increased financial burden on Indian farmers and potentially reducing their global competitiveness. The association emphasized that various ministries and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing have consistently recommended against RDP over the past 16 years. These bodies concluded that India's vast agrochemical market and existing patent protections are sufficient to attract both domestic and foreign innovation without additional data protection. PMFAI further noted that RDP would hinder national initiatives like 'Make in India' and Atmanirbhar Bharat by making the Indian agrochemical industry less competitive. The association has requested a meeting with the Minister to elaborate on their concerns.
