PMFAI’s 58th AGM Charts the Way Forward for a Resilient, Self-Reliant Indian Agrochemical Industry
The 58th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Industry Meet of Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) was held on Wednesday, 4th November 2026 in Mumbai.
The PMFAI Industry Meet, coinciding with the 58th AGM on November 4, 2026, commenced with a comprehensive Welcome Address by PMFAI President Mr. Pradip Dave. Reflecting on PMFAI’s nearly six-decade history representing over 220 large, medium, and small-scale agrochemical companies, Mr. Dave highlighted the association’s pivotal role in supporting Indian agriculture, fostering domestic manufacturing capabilities, and protecting the economic viability of the national farming community.
Addressing the macro-environment, Mr. Dave underscored the exceptionally challenging economic phase currently facing the crop protection sector. On the domestic front, erratic and deficit rainfall across several key agricultural belts severely subdued seasonal demand. Externally, the geopolitical crisis in West Asia since February 2026, marked by operational disruptions and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz dealt a heavy blow to the chemical synthesis sector, triggering acute raw material shortages, severe price spikes, and unprecedented logistics costs. To build long-term stability and resilience against such global vulnerabilities, he emphasized the critical need to maximize the indigenous synthesis of Technical Grade Pesticides, key intermediates, and chemical raw materials under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Despite these intense external pressures, Mr. Dave reiterated PMFAI’s unwavering resolve in defending the interests of domestic manufacturers on international regulatory platforms. Working in close coordination with member companies and the Government of India, the PMFAI Task Force successfully safeguarded essential generic active ingredients at global forums like the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions. During the recent 21st and 22nd Chemical Review Committee (CRC) meetings, the Task Force mounted a robust defense to protect vital off-patent chemistries, including Fipronil, Profenofos, Phenthoate, Ethion, Quinalphos, Cypermethrin EC formulations (10% & 35%), and Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG.
In the Industry Meet, interesting speech and presentations have been made.
Voluntary Code of Conduct (VCC) for Precursor Chemicals and Regulated Substances – by Mr. Amit Ghawate, IRS, Additional Director/Zonal Director, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mumbai Zone Unit.
In his address, Mr. Ghawate briefed the participants on the Voluntary Code of Conduct (VCC) for Precursor Chemicals and Regulated Substances, emphasising the importance of responsible handling, effective monitoring and strict regulatory compliance by industries dealing with such chemicals.
Mr. Ghawate mentioned that precursor chemicals play a vital role in legitimate industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and manufacturing, yet their dual-use nature makes them a prime target for diversion by drug cartels into the illicit production of synthetic drugs like heroin and illicit fentanyl. As Mr. Ghawate emphasized to industry stakeholders, cartels employ sophisticated tactics, including front companies, forged end-user documentation, and complex transit routes to exploit legal supply chains, posing a severe threat to society and particularly the youth. To counter this challenge, chemical manufacturers and suppliers must strictly adhere to the Voluntary Code of Conduct (VCC) by practicing responsible chemical stewardship, conducting thorough Know-Your-Customer (KYC) vetting of buyers, remaining vigilant against red-flag indicators like unusual payment methods or bulk orders, and promptly reporting suspicious transactions to enforcement authorities to stop illicit drug production at the source.
He highlighted the need for active collaboration between industry stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to prevent the diversion and misuse of precursor chemicals. He also sensitised industry representatives about applicable regulatory requirements, encouraged voluntary compliance and underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation with NCB in combating drug trafficking and the illicit diversion of precursor chemicals.
Benchtop NMR for the Pesticide Industry: From R&D to Quality Control and Process Monitoring – Dr. Subhendu Pandit, Product Manager, NMR – Labindia Analytical Instruments Pvt. Ltd.
The presentation by Labindia Analytical, introduces the Magritek Spinsolve benchtop NMR system as a transformative analytical solution for the pesticide industry, designed to replace bulky, cryogen-reliant high-field NMRs with compact, permanent-magnet technology. By offering multi-nuclear versatility—specifically for 1H, 19F, and 31P analysis—the Spinsolve platform supports diverse agrochemical needs, including rapid reaction screening in R&D, standardized active ingredient quantification for quality control, and real-time process monitoring via flow cells. Ultimately, the session highlighted how this technology improves workflow efficiency and data integrity, offering a cost-effective, sustainable, and user-friendly alternative that enables high-accuracy analytics directly at the bench or production site without the significant infrastructure requirements associated with traditional high-field facilities.
Eurofins: Excellence in GLP Data Generation and Trusted Scientific Support for Industry – by Ms. Jayalakshmi R., Associate Director and Dr. Smitha Revankar, Business Unit Manager, Eurofins Advinus AgroSciences India Pvt. Ltd.
The Eurofins Agroscience Services India presentation highlighted the group’s global analytical capabilities supporting the crop protection and agri-biological sectors. Backed by an international network of over 950 laboratories across 59 countries, Eurofins delivers end-to-end support spanning product chemistry, biological assessment, environmental safety, and regulatory consultancy.
Key technical offerings include 5-batch analysis, environmental fate (E-Fate) studies, and efficacy testing in GLP-certified insectaries. To meet statutory data requirements, the facility conducts full regulatory toxicology (acute, repeated-dose, reproductive, and carcinogenicity) and in vitro genetic toxicity assays compliant with OECD, US-EPA, and JMAFF standards. Driven by automated ELIMS workflows and 21 CFR Part 11 data integrity, Eurofins holds OECD GLP, AAALAC, and OLAW accreditations, with a proven track record of successful regulatory dossier submissions across the US, EU, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and India.
MSME Growth & Empowerment Mission – Government Schemes & Support: by Mr. E. Umesh Unnikrishnan, International Business Strategist, Director – Thestic Business Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Unnikrishnan briefed the gathering on how MSME-GEM functions as a 360^∘ empowerment initiative designed to replicate startup ecosystem success for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, helping them grow, compete, and scale across India. Initiated by the We Spark Start Up Association and supported by the MSME Development & Facilitation Office, Mumbai (Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India), the mission bridges a critical market gap: while startups benefit from collaborative support models, MSMEs frequently face a fragmented, disconnected, and costly landscape of service providers. MSME-GEM resolves this by serving as a single-window platform to reduce administrative burdens and streamline business setup, compliance, finance, and market expansion.
The program delivers practical solutions across six key assistance areas: leveraging government schemes and incentives (such as Udyam, PMEGP, CGTMSE, and TReDS); facilitating structured credit, business loans, and investor access; unlocking domestic and international markets; driving digital enablement and customer acquisition; assisting with payment recovery and legal dispute resolution under the Delay Payments Act; and supporting business expansion via e-commerce and franchise models. Operating alongside strategy partner Theistic Business Consultants, marcom partner Redefine Marcom, execution partner Dr. Hemant Shyam Sonare Empowerment Foundation, and industry partners MVTCI and SMB Connect, MSME-GEM targets 1 lac MSME beneficiaries with free-of-cost empowerment tools covering 15 service types – ranging from legal, CA, and compliance support to branding, digital presence, and business operations software.
IPFT’s Initiatives for the Agchem and Agbio Industry: by Dr. Mohana Krishna Reddy Mudiam, Director, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT)
Dr. Mudiam detailed the comprehensive support and services provided by IPFT as a one-stop solution ranging from idea to impact.
During his address, Dr. Mudiam highlighted IPFT’s pivotal role in supporting domestic agrochemical manufacturing, advancing eco-friendly bio-pesticide formulations, and pioneering plant-based pesticide formulations. He also emphasized their innovations in bio-oil-based pesticides derived from agro-industrial waste, microbial-based pesticide formulations, and advanced dsRNA-based pesticides and their delivery systems. Furthermore, the presentation outlined IPFT’s robust technical capabilities in chemistry data generation, bio-evaluation studies, and dedicated farmer awareness programs.
The 58th AGM of PMFAI and Industry Meet concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Smit Patel, Joint Secretary of PMFAI, who expressed sincere appreciation to all industry colleagues, member representatives, and eminent guest speakers for their active participation and valuable contributions to the event’s success.
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