India plans a complete ban on the insecticide carbosulfan

The Government of India has initiated a procedure to ban carbosulfan, a chemical widely used in the country for the plant protection of rice, cotton, and various horticultural crops. According to the official notification, the restrictions will apply to the import, manufacture, sale, transport, and direct use of this agent. Registration certificate holders are required to return them to the Registration Committee within three months; otherwise, measures will be taken against them in accordance with the Insecticides Act, 1968.

The decision was based on the findings of an expert committee established on January 14, 2026, to assess the advisability of the continued use of the product. After receiving the committee's report, submitted on June 12, 2026, the authorities held consultations with the Registration Committee. Experts concluded that carbosulfan is a highly hazardous carbamate insecticide. Upon entering the body, it is rapidly metabolized into carbofuran, a substance that causes acute systemic poisoning and inhibition of cholinesterase activity.

The committee emphasized that carbosulfan poses a serious threat not only to human health but also to ecosystems, including birds, pollinating insects, and aquatic life. An additional argument in favor of the ban was international experience: in many countries, the use of this insecticide is already restricted or completely prohibited. Given the lack of a specific antidote for carbosulfan poisoning, the relevant department has urged state governments to ensure the implementation of the ban on the product at the local level.