Indian Agrochemical Industry Raises Alarm Over Rampant Patents on Combination Pesticides
29 September 2025, New Delhi: The Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) has raised serious concerns over the growing trend of broad patents being granted for combination and solo pesticide formulations in India. In a representation addressed to the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), PMFAI highlighted that many of these patents involve minimal inventive steps, relying on minor modifications or combinations of already well-known active ingredients.
According to PMFAI President Pradip Dave, this practice poses significant challenges for Indian agrochemical companies, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and could also impact farmers by restricting access to affordable crop protection solutions. The association noted that many combination patents are granted for formulations that simply mix generic active ingredients already in the public domain, potentially extending monopoly rights unfairly—a practice often referred to as “evergreening” of patents.
The timeline of PMFAI’s representations reflects the urgency of the issue. On April 9, 2025, the association first wrote to the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) highlighting the risks of granting patents based on generic molecules and emphasizing the impact on farmers with small landholdings. On April 25, 2025, the office of the Director General, CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research), provided suggestions on how to prevent the approval of patents lacking genuine innovations. Subsequently, on April 28, 2025, PMFAI submitted an updated representation to CGPDTM, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and even the Prime Minister’s Office, proposing concrete steps to curb the problem.
PMFAI has urged the patent office to seek concurrence from the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB&RC) to verify genuine innovation before granting patents for combination formulations. They have also recommended the constitution of a technical task force comprising experts from CSIR, ICAR, CIB&RC, and industry representatives to evaluate patent claims based on field trial data, efficacy, and crop safety.
“While patents are crucial to encourage innovation, granting combination patents on already known generic molecules undermines the interests of both farmers and genuine domestic manufacturers,” said Pradip Dave. “We urge the authorities to take prompt action to ensure that the patent system supports real innovation rather than extending monopolies unnecessarily.”
The issue has raised broader questions about balancing intellectual property rights with the affordability and accessibility of agrochemicals in India, especially for small-scale farmers who form the backbone of the country’s agricultural sector.
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