India, Jan. 22 -- The pesticide industry on Wednesday urged the government to tighten the regulation for e-commerce platforms selling crop protection products, warning that basic compliance checks are insufficient and calling for mandatory authorisation certificates to prevent fake products from reaching farmers.

Industry body CropLife India said that the government should issue clear rules under the existing Insecticides Act, 1968, and include explicit provisions in the draft Pesticides Management Bill to regulate online sales, as concerns mount over product authenticity and supply chain traceability.

"As digitisation is increasing in India, the usage of these platforms will grow. Pesticide is a regulated industry, and the entire suppl...