New Delhi, Delhi, India | 29th September 2025: CropLife India, the association of leading domestic and multinational R&D-driven crop science companies, marked its 45th Annual General Meeting (AGM) with a National Conference 2025. The event brought together Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, senior government officials, policymakers, experts, academia, and global industry leaders to deliberate on India’s agricultural future.
Setting the Agenda: Viksit Bharat 2047
The conference opened with the Inaugural Session on Viksit Bharat 2047, followed by in-depth discussions on:
- Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities in India’s agri-input sector.
- State-wise Perspectives on Empowering Farmers and Boosting Exports, covering crop protection and bio-stimulants.
- The CEO Panel Debate: “Pesticides in the Spotlight: Villain, Hero or Scapegoat?”, addressing perception, sustainability, and innovation.
Key Highlights from Leaders & Experts
- Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that farmers are the “soul of the nation,” calling for productivity growth, technology adoption, and farmer-centric policies to achieve a $5 trillion economy.
- Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra (PPV&FRA) highlighted the role of agrochemicals in boosting food grain production from 65 million tons to 350 million, stressing balanced regulation and sustainability.
- Dr. P. K. Singh (Agriculture Commissioner, GoI) outlined the role of digitalization, AI-driven regulation, and responsible pesticide use in strengthening India’s global competitiveness.
- Dr. Vandana Tripathy (ICAR) called for harmonized pesticide residue data for stronger science-based public health safeguards.
- Dr. Poonam Jasrotia (ICAR) emphasized preserving traditional practices while fostering global partnerships with nations like the US and Japan.
- Dr. Subhash Chand (CIB&RC) discussed balancing ease of business with regulatory integrity in the import-export framework.
- Shri T. M. Tripathi (DoA, Uttar Pradesh) noted the importance of farmer training, drone standardization, and pricing transparency for crop protection products.
CEO Insights: The Future of Crop Protection
The CEO panel underscored India’s status as the 2nd largest exporter and 4th largest manufacturer of crop protection products. Key takeaways included:
- Susheel Kumar (Syngenta India): Crop protection is essential “medicine for plants.”
- Ankur Aggarwal (Crystal Crop Protection): India’s pesticide use is only 400 g/ha vs. global 8,000 g/ha, showing low misuse but high misperception.
- Sahin Ozkan (Adama India): Farmer training is central to safe, sustainable practices.
- Subroto Geed (Corteva Agriscience India): Farmers need end-to-end solutions with trusted communication.
- Simon Wiebusch (Bayer CropScience India): Pesticides remain essential to ensuring food security for billions.
Industry Commitment: Towards a $1 Trillion Agricultural Economy
Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman, CropLife India, emphasized that member companies contribute over 70% of India’s agrochemical industry, with exports worth ₹40,000 crores. Despite being a global leader, India still loses crops worth ₹2 lakh crores annually to pests and diseases.
He reiterated CropLife India’s commitment to:
- Responsible innovation and stewardship.
- Integrated pest management and natural farming support.
- Research-driven solutions to empower farmers.
Conclusion
The 45th AGM of CropLife India showcased a unified vision for sustainable agriculture, farmer prosperity, and global leadership. By combining policy, innovation, and science, India is positioned to achieve food security for its 1.5 billion people while advancing towards a $1 trillion agricultural economy by 2047.
