Agriculture Ministry simplifies household pesticide licensing and fertiliser registration under 'Reform Express'
On 18 May 2026 the Agriculture Ministry reviewed reforms under the 'Reform Express', including a one-page licence form for selling household pesticides, QR codes in place of paper leaflets and digital integration of all 649 customs ports for farm imports.
Summary
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare reviewed a set of simplification reforms under the Prime Minister's 'Reform Express' on 18 May 2026, chaired by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra said the licence application for selling and storing household pesticides had been cut from three pages to one, and paper leaflets with products replaced by QR codes on labels. The ministry expects the change to benefit more than 40 lakh retailers and grocery shops selling items such as mosquito coils and cockroach sprays. The registration process for new fertilisers is also being simplified, and all 649 customs ports have been digitally integrated to make agricultural imports easier.
Key facts
- Date
- 18 May 2026
- Initiative
- PM's 'Reform Express'
- Household pesticides
- Licence form cut from 3 pages to 1; QR codes replace leaflets
- Beneficiaries
- 40 lakh+ retailers and grocery shopkeepers
- Fertilisers
- Registration of new fertilisers simplified
- Customs
- All 649 customs ports digitally integrated for farm imports
Practice MCQs 2 questions
How many customs ports have been digitally integrated to facilitate import of agricultural commodities, as reviewed by the Agriculture Ministry in May 2026?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — 649
The ministry said all 649 customs ports have been digitally integrated to facilitate import of agricultural commodities.
Under the May 2026 reforms, what replaces the physical leaflets supplied with household pesticide products?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — QR codes on product labels
Physical leaflets have been discontinued and replaced with QR codes directly on product labels.