How We Can Tackle Counterfeiting and Raise Agricultural Integrity

Agriculture remains the backbone of India's economy, underpinning food security, farmer livelihoods, and rural growth. Yet the rapid spread of counterfeit agrochemicals—particularly pesticides—has emerged as a serious and largely invisible threat. Estimates suggest that fake products may account for up to 30–40 per cent of the market, eroding crop yields, degrading soil health and undermining farmer confidence. Beyond economic losses, counterfeiting weakens trust across agricultural value chains and threatens India's credibility as a reliable food producer, making urgent action on authentication and traceability essential.

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Agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, and agrochemicals remain central to ensuring crop protection, food security, and rural productivity. Yet counterfeiting in agricultural inputs especially pesticides has emerged as one of the most serious threats to the sector. The ASPA-CRISIL report estimates that counterfeit agrochemicals may account for 30-40 per cent of the Indian market, with pesticides being the most counterfeited due to their high consumption volumes. This is not merely an economic challenge; it directly affects crop yields, farmer incomes, soil health, and the long-term resilience of agricultural systems. The latest ASPA-Accenture study further reinforces this urgency by identifying Agro Chemicals as a “critical and resilient” end-user segment for authentication and traceability, noting that counterfeits in this category threaten not only brand reputation but the physical yield of crops and the livelihoods of millions of farmers.

When farmers unknowingly purchase fake or substandard pesticides, the consequences are severe. Such products can reduce yields by three to four per cent and often contain banned, diluted or incorrect formulations that accelerate pest resistance and degrade soil quality. Beyond immediate losses, the use of counterfeit inputs destabilises farmer confidence in brands, distorts markets, and weakens India's reputation as a reliable agricultural producer. The ASPA-CRISIL Report 2022 also highlights that the threat of falsified products across sectors remains widespread in semi-urban and rural regions, reflecting how deeply the counterfeit ecosystem has penetrated everyday commerce.