According to The Hindu BusinessLine, India is considering restricting the use of Carbosulfan, an insecticide widely used on paddy, cotton, and horticulture crops, with a final decision expected by the end of August 2026. The move comes weeks after the government on July 14 issued a draft order proposing a blanket ban on the herbicide Paraquat Dichloride. The report was published on August 9, 2026.
Regulatory process: CIB&RC and the Insecticides Act
The Agriculture Ministry has categorised Carbosulfan under “highly toxic” and started acting on the proposal to place it under the restricted category only after receiving a recommendation from the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC), according to The Hindu BusinessLine. At its June 29 meeting, the Registration Committee (RC) perused the report of the expert review committee on Paraquat Dichloride and Carbosulfan and deliberated it under section 27(2) of the Insecticides Act, 1968.
According to the minutes of the meeting:
“RC decided to communicate its recommendations separately to the Government of India for its consideration and taking a final appropriate view in the matter. The final decision taken by the Government of India shall be implemented by the RC accordingly.”
Industry sources told the publication that once Carbosulfan is placed in the restricted category, various types of restrictions could be applied to regulate its use by farmers, who currently buy it and use it freely as advised. Though the patent has expired, Carbosulfan is still manufactured by FMC or its licensee in India.
Paraquat draft ban timeline
On July 14, the government issued a draft order proposing a blanket ban on Paraquat Dichloride, citing its severe toxicity to humans and animals. The draft notification seeks to halt the manufacture, import, sale, and distribution of the widely used herbicide.
- Draft order issued: July 14
- Comment period: 30 days, closing August 12
- Next step: final ban gazetted after feedback is reviewed
Stakeholders have until August 12 to submit feedback before a final ban is gazetted, the report said.
Market context: FMC India, Marshal and Crystal Crop Protection
FMC India currently sells Carbosulfan under the ‘Marshal’ brand as a 25 per cent Emulsifiable Concentrate formulation. On its website, FMC India described the product as a broad-spectrum insecticide with dual contact and stomach poison action against chewing and sucking pests.
“Marshal insecticide, a trusted brand among farmers from decades and is known for its broad spectrum control on various chewing and sucking pests in Cotton, Paddy and Vegetables. A different mode of action makes Marshal insecticide a good rotational partner especially in vegetable spray programs and manages issues around pest resistance,” FMC India said on its website.
FMC Corporation in May signed a definitive agreement to sell its India commercial business to Crystal Crop Protection for $252 million. Under the deal, Crystal will acquire FMC India’s commercial operations in the crop protection segment, including licences for FMC brands sold in India. Crystal will also receive a preferred supply agreement for certain FMC active ingredients and formulated products, along with preferred access to FMC’s pipeline of crop protection products in India.
Food-safety and export residue context
Industry sources said that unlike Paraquat, there is not much concern about Carbosulfan with regard to toxicity or other health risks. However, the issue was referred to the expert panel by the RC because Carbosulfan was added to the Rotterdam Convention, under which signatory countries must notify when importing the formulation.
Experts working with farmers in crops like cumin, where Marshal is sprayed, said Carbosulfan is an issue for export to the EU, where the maximum crop residue level (MRL) is 0.01 mg/kg. India’s food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has set different MRLs for Carbosulfan in three crops:
| Crop | FSSAI MRL (mg/kg) |
|---|---|
| Rice | 0.2 |
| Chilli | 2 |
| Dried chilli | 20 |
| Other crops | No specifications |
For trade compliance officers, customs brokers, and legal counsel, the immediate tracking points are the final Government of India decision on Carbosulfan expected by the end of August 2026, the RC’s implementation of that decision, and the gazetting of the Paraquat ban after the August 12 comment deadline. The Paraquat draft order already identifies the scope — manufacture, import, sale, and distribution — that would be halted once the final ban is gazetted.
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