The Union government has moved to ban Carbosulfan, a carbamate insecticide widely used on paddy, cotton, and horticulture crops in India, according to an official gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The draft order proposes a complete ban on the insecticide, including the prohibition on the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of Carbosulfan from the date of its publication.
What the draft order proposes
The draft order directs the Registration Committee to recall all certificates of registration granted for the insecticide. "If any person who holds the certificate of registration fails to return the certificate to the Registration Committee, referred to in clause (2), within a period of three months, action shall be taken under the provisions contained in the said Act," the draft noted. The Centre has urged all State governments to take necessary steps under the provisions of the Act and the rules framed thereunder to implement the order.
The proposed ban covers the entire supply chain within India:
| Prohibited activity | Scope |
|---|---|
| Import | Barred from the date of publication |
| Manufacture | Barred from the date of publication |
| Sale | Barred from the date of publication |
| Transport | Barred from the date of publication |
| Distribution | Barred from the date of publication |
| Use | Barred from the date of publication |
Who is affected
The proposal affects all entities handling Carbosulfan in India, including importers, manufacturers, formulators, distributors, retailers and agricultural users. The insecticide is described as widely used on paddy, cotton, and horticulture crops. Overseas suppliers exporting Carbosulfan to India would also be caught by the import prohibition once the order takes effect.
Regulatory process and timeline
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare formed an Expert Committee on January 14, 2026 to review the continued use of Carbosulfan in India. The committee submitted its report to the government on June 12, 2026. The government then consulted the Registration Committee constituted under the Insecticides Act, 1968. After reviewing the available studies, data and safety concerns, the Registration Committee recommended a complete ban on Carbosulfan in India.
| Key date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| January 14, 2026 | Expert Committee formed |
| June 12, 2026 | Expert Committee report submitted |
| August 25, 2026 | Gazette notification published |
Basis for the recommendation
The notification states: "Registration Committee has noted in its recommendation that Carbosulfan is an intrinsically highly hazardous carbamate insecticide which is rapidly metabolised to carbofuran, a highly toxic metabolite responsible for severe cholinesterase inhibition and acute systemic toxicity; significant toxicity of Carbosulfan to birds, pollinators, aquatic organisms and other non-target species, together with international regulatory actions restricting or prohibiting its use in several countries."
There is no specific antidote to reverse Carbosulfan poisoning.
The committee concluded that continued use of the insecticide could pose significant risks to public health and the environment. Based on these concerns, the Registration Committee recommended an immediate and complete ban on the manufacture, import, transport, distribution, sale and use of Carbosulfan in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
Compliance obligations and deadlines
- Certificate holders must return their certificates of registration to the Registration Committee within three months of the order, failing which action will be taken under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
- State governments are required to take necessary steps under the Act and its rules to implement the order.
- Companies holding registrations, import orders, or distribution contracts for Carbosulfan should track the final notification and the three-month certificate return window.
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