India’s Formulation Advantage

THE Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT) was established in 1991 and is located in a sprawling Gurgaon campus outside of New Delhi. It is an autonomous Indian government institute under the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. It has emerged as a reputed institute among the pesticide formulation and analytical R&D Centers of India. Some of the objectives of the Institute are to:

  • Develop state-of-the art user and environmentally friendly pesticide formulations.
  • Promote efficient application technologies suiting the requirements of newer formulations.
  • Continue education through specialized training for pesticide personnel.

Farm Chemicals International sat down with IPFT Director Dr. S. K. Raza at a recent institute meeting to discuss pesticide formulation activities and R&D efforts going forward.

Advertisement

FCI: What are the types of formulations in which IPFT has expertise?
Dr. Raza: The main objective of IPFT is to develop user and environment friendly pesticide formulation technologies. IPFT has expertise and infrastructural facilities for developing pesticide formulations like :
• Suspension concentrates
• Water dispersible granules
• Capsule suspensions
• Microemulsions
• Concentrated emulsions
• Gels
• Tablets
• Combination formulations
• Microencapsulated formulations
• Household formulations
• Bio-botanical pesticide formulations

In addition to developing new generation formulations, IPFT has expertise on modification of conventional formulations like emulsifiable concentrate, wettable powders and granular formulations for improvement of their physico-chemical properties and bio-efficacy.

FCI: Please tell about some of the formulations developed by IPFT.

Top Articles
ADAMA Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Dr. Raza: Over the last 20 years, IPFT has developed a large number of formulations that have been successfully transferred to different pesticide industries. This includes: Captan 83 WG, Carbendazim 86 WG, Chlorothalonil 75 WG, Cypermethrin 40 WG, Deltamethrin 25 WG, Deltamethrin 12.5 %+ Piperonyl Butoxide 12.5% WT, Fipronil 5 SC, Hexaconazole 10 SC, Imidacloprid 2.5 Gel, Isoproturon 75 WG, Lambdacyhalothrin 10 CS, Mancozeb 75 WG, Metamitron 70 WG, Neemazal 30 MEC, Phosphamidon 42.5 SP, Pyrithiobac Na+Quizalofop-P-Ethyl ME, SML 16 Capsule Suspension, Sulphur 52 SC, Thiomethaxam 14.1%+ Lambdacyhalothrin10.6% SC, Thiram 80 WG and many others.
FCI: Have these formulations been commercialized?
Dr. Raza: The technologies of the formulations developed by IPFT have been transferred to sponsoring pesticide industries and most of the industries have commercialized the technologies.
FCI: What is the present focus of formulation development at IPFT?
Dr. Raza: IPFT is presently focusing research and development work on the newer formulations like microencapsulated suspensions, combination formulations, pesticide + synergist combination formulations, nano-emulsions and encapsulations.

Read more about IPFT in the October issue of FCI.

Dr. Bipul Saha is an editorial advisor and regular contributor to Farm Chemicals International. He has more than 30 years of experience working for multinational and Indian crop protection companies, pharmaceutical companies and other chemical industry divisions. He most recently was Senior Vice President with Nagarjuna Agrichem Limited, and he has also worked for Gharda Chemicals, Monsanto and Pfizer. He is a preeminent pesticide chemist in India and is an astute observer of Indian market influences that affect the domestic and global chemical market. Dr. Saha has been invited as chairman and speaker in various national and international seminars in crop protection chemicals and agriculture.

Hide picture