India CIBRC 426th meeting: FMC India bring 1st Chlorantraniliprole WG to India | First local India company registrated Cyhalofop-butyl TC

The 426th Meeting of the Registration Committee (RC) was held under the Chairmanship of Dr. S. K. Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner & Chairman, Registration Committee on 25.02.2021 at 10:00 Hrs onwards through NIC video conference.

At the meeting, 55 registration of pesticide technical and 11 formulation products, including 25 herbicides, 24 insecticides/acaricides, 9 fungicides, 2 plant growth regulators and 6 bio-products got approved. 

As to the holders, Ichiban Crop Science got the most 7 registrations, Crystal Crop Protection got 6. As to the products, Paraquat Dichloride 42% TC got the most 11 registrations, for import only, u/s 9(4) of the Insecticide Act 1968, sourcing from Comlet Chemical Industrial and Sinon Corporation。

There are two products receiving first registration in India: Chlorantraniliprole 35% WG and  Cyhalofop-butyl 97.4% TC. Let's analyze one by one.

FMC India bring 1st Chlorantraniliprole WG to India 

Chlorantraniliprole technical is formulated into broad-spectrum insecticides used in several crops for better pest management. The active ingredient is used across products commercialised by FMC under its brands Coragen and Ferterra.

In the previous Minutes of the 425th Meeting of CIBRC, Natco Pharma Ltd. and Best Crop Science LLP got the registration for indigenous manufacture of Chlorantraniliprole TC 93.00% w/w min. under section 9(3). Natco Pharma rose 2.30% after the company said it received approval for Chlorantraniliprole-1st key product of crop health sciences division. In a BSE filing made during market hours, the company announced the approval of registration by CIBRC for indigenous manufacture of Chlorantraniliprole TC.

In this Minute, consideration of an application of FMC India Pvt. Ltd., for grant of registration for import of Chlorantraniliprole 35% WG under section 9(3) FI. Committee deliberated the agenda and approved for grant of registration for formulation import of Chlorantraniliprole 35% WG under section 9(3) of the Insecticides Act, 1968 from Gowan Milling LLC for control of fruit borer(Helicoverpa armigera & Earias vitella) in okra crop and fruit borer(Helicoverpa armigera) in tomato crop. 

The sales generated from Chlorantraniliprole containing products in India, inclusive of third-party marketing companies, as per declaration given by FMC was estimated to be Rs 1540 crore in 2016. Many companies believe the current market size to be over Rs 2000 crore. 

Chlorantraniliprole -- Indian Importer rank

Besides, FMC announced it has entered into a strategic collaboration with UPL to expand access of Rynaxypyr® active to growers around the world and increase the manufacturing capacity for this critical molecule in March, 2021. Under the multi-year agreement, FMC will provide UPL access to products containing Rynaxypyr® active for distribution in select markets. In the future, FMC will supply Rynaxypyr® active to UPL for use in product formulations developed and marketed by UPL around the world. Additionally, UPL will toll manufacture Rynaxypyr® active for FMC in India for the India market. This arrangement will significantly increase FMC's manufacturing footprint and capacity for Rynaxypyr® active, expanding FMC's ability to supply the growing demand.  

FMC has commercial agreements with dozens of crop protection companies to supply its leading Rynaxypyr® and Cyazypyr® active ingredient brands. These companies are developing and selling diamide-based products to meet growers' needs, offering them better alternatives to competing insecticides that have less attractive product safety or efficacy profiles compared to Rynaxypyr® and Cyazypyr® active ingredients.

First local India company registrated Cyhalofop-butyl TC

With the expansion of direct seeding area of rice and the increase of resistance of grass weeds, the demand for Cyhalofop-butyl increased year by year. In 2015, Cyhalofop-butyl replaced Penoxsulam to become the new dominant herbicide in the global paddy field. India is the world's largest rice plantation country, except for Dow India, few local enterprises registered Cyhalofop-butyl. At present, Dow India is almost the only importer of this product in the Indian market, and the import volume is increasing year by year.

Cyhalofop-butyl -- Indian Importer rank

In India, the major rice production country, in 2018, Dow India imported 4 tons of Cyhalofop-butyl 96% TC from the US and 81.8 tons of formulations from Indonesia valued at $2.17 million, converted to 8 tons of Cyhalofop-butyl at 100%. In 2019, Dow India 

imported 14 tons of Cyhalofop-butyl TC from the US and 105.4 tons of Penoxsulam-Cyhalofop formulations from Indonesia valued at nearly $740,000, converted to 20.5 tons of Cyhalofop-butyl at 100%. In 2020, Dow India imported 25.6 tons of Cyhalofop-butyl 96% TC from its US plant valued at $1.82 million, but there was no importation of formulations that year.

The above changes highlight the fact that Dow India has been increasing its imports of Cyhalofop-butyl TC, while formulation production will possibly be transferred from Indonesia to India.

But in this Minute, consideration of an application of M/s Crystal Crop Protection Pvt. Ltd., for grant of registration for Technical Import of Cyhalofop butyl Technical 97.4% w/w min. us/ 9(3 (TI vs TIM)). RC deliberated the agenda and approved for grant of registration for Technical Import of Cyhalofop butyl Technical 97.4% w/w min. us/ 9(3 (TI vs TIM) for import from M/s Shanghai Shengnong Pesticide Co. Ltd. and supplied by M/s Shanghai Forever Chemical Co. Ltd.

It will be interesting to see if other local Indian companies register this product in the future.

Click to download the free report: 

Market Report of China's Popular Paddy Fields Herbicide Cyhalofop-butyl 

More details are as follows:

Above-mentioned registrations can be taken under two broad categories of registration viz.

• 9(4) Me-too Registration: This is for product and source, which are already registered in India. 9(4) is the easiest method of registration and if all the documents submitted with CIB are in proper order, then registration is issued within 6 months of making the application.

• 9(3) New Registration: This registration is for products or sources, which are not registered in India yet. Any first time registration of a molecule or of a source will be under this category. New registrations can be of:

o 9(3) – TI New Molecule: Technical import registration for a new Molecule, which is never registered in India for Import.

o 9(3) – TI New Source: Technical import registration for technical already registered in India for Import, but a new overseas manufacturer also wants to register itself as an authorized source for exporting the molecule to India.

o 9(3) – FI New molecule: Formulations, which are to be directly imported to India, in finished form.

•  TIM – Technical Indigenous Manufacturing

•  TI – Technical Import

•  FIM – Formulation Indigenous Manufacturing

•  FI – Formulation Import

Download the Minutes here:

Minutes of the 426th Meeting of India Registration Committee