Pesticide Concerns and Quality Issues

Uttar Pradesh has now imposed a three-month ban (August 1 to October 31, 2025) on the use of eleven pesticides in basmati rice cultivation, following Punjab’s similar restrictions. Haryana has also announced its intention to ban pesticides to help Indian basmati rice meet strict foreign standards. Global rice prices fell by 35% in one year, reaching their lowest level since 2017 (around $360 per ton), largely triggered by India resuming non-Basmati rice exports.