The Supreme Court of India clarified Tuesday the government’s ban on the production of endosulfan by expressly forbidding any further production of the off-patent organochlorine insecticide.
However, it will continue to allow the export of 2,698 kiloliters of existing stocks held by Excel Crop Care, Hindustan Insecticides and Coromandel International. The clarification extends from a May 13 ruling that created a total ban on the active substance. A subsequent exception for exports of existing stocks was created at the request of PMFAI, the Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India.
According to court documents, the court cautioned against companies that continue to manufacture endosulfan: “It is clarified that the permission for dilution (of the law to allow export of existing stocks) should in no way directly or indirectly be treated as permission to manufacture endosulfan formulation in any form whatsoever or increase its quantity.”
Publicly traded Excel Crop Care’s stock price fell this week following the clarification. The company holds about 1,188 kiloliters of stock of endosulfan formulations.