What began in mid-2023 as a routine instruction to update company information on the CROP Portal has now evolved into one of the strongest compliance pushes the industry has seen in recent years.

In December 2023, the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC) issued a public notice that formalised the transition toward a “one company – one account” digital framework. The Registration Committee, in its 452nd meeting, issued a public notice that formally tightened the mandate: companies were given 60 days to complete their KYC and account-merging processes. The notice also carried consequence — once the deadline expired, any frozen accounts would no longer be considered for unfreezing or merging, and all certificates and permits under those accounts would stand cancelled.

As the deadline approached and the Secretariat reviewed the status of accounts, several state governments issued specific follow-up notices. Almost two years later, in October 2025, notice surfaced — at the state level, that states had begun formal identification and publication of companies and products affected by the earlier KYC non-compliance. The timing of this notice is significant, as it was not an advisory; it was effectively a follow-through. It named companies whose accounts remained unmerged even after nearly two years, and listed the products that were considered cancelled or void because they were tied to frozen accounts. This showed that the central directive had transitioned into ground-level enforcement — and that states were aligning their regulatory actions accordingly.

The intention behind these state-level notices was simple: to ensure that enforcement authorities within the state were aware of which products had effectively lost their standing because the associated company accounts were frozen.

For many businesses, especially mid-sized formulators, the impact extends beyond regulatory paperwork. A cancelled certificate means halting production, pausing supply, reassessing inventories, and, in some cases, renegotiating contracts. It also affects distributors who may unknowingly continue to stock products whose registrations have lapsed.

The industry takeaway is straightforward: reactive compliance is no longer enough. Companies must treat CROP Portal KYC, account merging, and digital alignment as core operational requirements, not optional exercises.

With future applications, revalidations, and endorsements now tied to the accuracy of the company’s digital footprint, any gap in KYC compliance can lead to more than just delays—it can result in regulatory invisibility.