Brands
CropLife India flags illegal pesticide sales on e-commerce platforms
NEW DELHI: CropLife India has raised alarm over the growing online sale of unauthorised pesticides, warning that gaps in regulation and enforcement across e-commerce platforms risk exposing farmers to hazardous and spurious products.
The industry body, which represents 17 research-led crop protection companies, called for a strong joint government–industry framework to bring accountability, licensing and traceability into digital agri-input supply chains. The concerns come as the government reviews pesticide regulation under the draft pesticides management bill, 2025.
The issue took centre stage at CropLife India’s national conference on crop protection products sale on e-commerce platforms, held in New Delhi, where policymakers, regulators and industry executives examined how agri-input sales are shifting online and where oversight is falling short.
Addressing the gathering, ministry of agriculture & farmers welfare agriculture commissioner P K Singh, said basic compliance checks such as GST verification were inadequate when hazardous products are sold digitally. He stressed the need for tighter quality assurance, traceability and supply-chain accountability, and said these risks must be addressed explicitly in the new law.
Insecticides board & registration committee secretary Subhash Chand, warned that while digitisation is expanding access in rural India, pesticides remain hazardous products requiring shared responsibility between platforms and manufacturers. ONDC domain lead – agriculture Ravi Shankar underlined the importance of better cataloguing, advisory information and traceability to help farmers distinguish genuine products from fakes.
CropLife India chairman Ankur Aggarwal said the industry was not opposed to online sales but to the absence of enforceable safeguards. “Tackling unauthorised products is critical for farmer safety, food security and trust,” he said, adding that regulation must evolve with digital commerce.
The association pointed out that pesticides are governed by the insecticides act, 1968 and insecticides rules, 1971, which strictly limit sales to licensed sellers, approved products, defined geographies and valid at from manufacturers or importers. However, e-commerce platforms facilitating such sales are not required to hold licences under pesticide law, nor explicitly mandated to verify product authorisations, creating a regulatory blind spot.
Risks are sharper in inventory-led e-commerce models, where storage and dispatch may occur from warehouses not licensed under existing rules, weakening inspection, sampling and traceability. CropLife India also clarified that rule 10E, introduced in 2022 to permit online or doorstep delivery, does not waive licensing or authorisation requirements, despite being widely misinterpreted.
With inspections largely tied to licensed premises, enforcement agencies struggle to track responsibility across fragmented digital supply chains, delaying action against illegal products. While welcoming the intent of the draft bill, CropLife India said it fails to clearly address platform-level accountability, licensing in inventory models and digital traceability.
The association said it will submit its recommendations through the formal consultation process, calling for what it described as “regulated enablement” of digital agri-commerce.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
