ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA) has expressed serious concern over delays and inefficiencies at the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), warning that the slow processing of registrations and import permissions is threatening timely pesticide supply to farmers during key cropping periods.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research on June 30, PCPA Executive Director Muhammad Sarwar Rahi stated that the backlog of registration cases at the DPP has disrupted the industry’s ability to import and market pesticides, particularly for the ongoing cotton and rice crops.

The letter notes that a significant number of cases, including those for generic products, new chemistries, and renewals, remain pending with the regulatory authority. The association termed the level of pendency “alarming,” saying it poses a direct threat to the availability of crop protection products in the local market.

PCPA also alleged that repeated and unnecessary queries by DPP officials appear to be an attempt to pressure importers into making illicit payments or entering underhand deals to secure approvals.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2025