📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Internet Archive Book Images
Agriculture
India bans paraquat dichloride herbicide for faster green gram ripening, MP orders
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 16 Oct 2026, 09:36 PM
👁 20
The Ministry of Agriculture has prohibited the use of paraquat dichloride, a herbicide employed to accelerate green gram maturation, and a Member of Parliament has issued orders to enforce the ban.
New Delhi – The central government has officially banned paraquat dichloride, a chemical herbicide that farmers have been using to speed up the ripening of green gram (moong). The decision, announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, follows mounting concerns over the chemical’s toxicity and its potential impact on consumer health.
The ban applies nationwide, prohibiting the sale, distribution and application of the herbicide on all green gram crops. Authorities have instructed state agricultural departments to notify growers and to remove any existing stock from the market.
A Member of Parliament, who raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, issued formal orders to ensure strict compliance. The MP urged enforcement agencies to monitor markets and to impose penalties on violators, emphasizing the need to protect both farmers and consumers.
Industry representatives have been asked to explore safer alternatives for crop maturation. The ministry will review the effectiveness of the ban in the coming months and may introduce additional measures to support farmers during the transition.
The ban applies nationwide, prohibiting the sale, distribution and application of the herbicide on all green gram crops. Authorities have instructed state agricultural departments to notify growers and to remove any existing stock from the market.
A Member of Parliament, who raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, issued formal orders to ensure strict compliance. The MP urged enforcement agencies to monitor markets and to impose penalties on violators, emphasizing the need to protect both farmers and consumers.
Industry representatives have been asked to explore safer alternatives for crop maturation. The ministry will review the effectiveness of the ban in the coming months and may introduce additional measures to support farmers during the transition.