India’s UP bans sales of 11 pesticides to comply with residue norms

The 11 pesticides in the list are tricyclazole, buprofezin, acephate, chlorpyriphos, tebuconazole, propiconazole, thiamethoxam, profenofos, imidacloprid, carbendazim, and carbofuran
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After Punjab, Uttar Pradesh has banned the sales of 11 pesticides in Basmati-growing districts to protect the crop from pesticide residues and make it more acceptable abroad. The development comes amid tightening standards in many countries, particularly in Europe.

In a notification issued by Special Secretary Om Prakash Verma on August 17, the Agriculture Department asked the 30 districts, where Basmati rice is grown, to ensure that “sales, distribution and usage” of 11 pesticides are completely restricted for 60 days. However, the restrictions have been made effective from August 1.

The 11 pesticides in the list are tricyclazole, buprofezin, acephate, chlorpyriphos, tebuconazole, propiconazole, thiamethoxam, profenofos, imidacloprid, carbendazim, and carbofuran. These are the same pesticides, banned by Punjab government in July. But, Punjab had included hexaconazole also in the list.

Alternatives listed

Verma said APEDA had requested to put such a restriction to save India’s heritage Basmati crop and allow unhindered shipments of the aromatic rice from Uttar Pradesh. Countries in the Middle East and Europe as well as the US have put stringent maximum residue levels (MRLs) of chemicals that need to be followed in case of export of Basmati rice, he said.

All the district agriculture offices in these 30 districts have warned dealers of strict action if they found to sell these restricted agro chemicals.

The state government in its order has attached a list of alternatives for 9 of the banned pesticides while there is no mention about tebuconazole and carbofuran. On the other hand, tebuconazole has been mentioned as an alternative propiconazole.

Sources in the pesticides industry said that the government should have issued the notification much earlier if it wanted the ban to come into effect from August 1 as many companies had already supplied the stock to their dealers and sales had also taken place.

But, local officials are telling farmers to be cautious as their Basmati may be sold at lower rates if they use banned pesticides.

Published on August 25, 2025