List of Banned Pesticides in Nepal (Updated)
By the Panchkhal Beej Bhandar & Agro Center Agronomy Team
Published | Reading time: 10 minutes | Reading level: Beginner
Nepal's list of banned pesticides is updated periodically by the Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center (PQPMC). This guide reflects the most recent gazette notification we're aware of (5 December 2024) plus the historical ban list compiled from PQPMC records and published research. Always verify the current status of a specific product with your PQPMC-registered dealer or at pqpmc.gov.np before buying, selling, or applying it.
How Pesticide Bans Work in Nepal
Pesticide registration, restriction, and banning in Nepal is governed by the Pesticide Management Act 2019 (2075) and administered by the Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center (PQPMC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD). The Pesticide Management Committee reviews chemicals for toxicity, environmental persistence, and health impact, and can order a ban on production, formulation, import, export, sale, storage, distribution, or use.
Nepal has been banning pesticides since 2001, largely in line with its commitments under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Rotterdam Convention, and — more recently — the global push to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) under the Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management (SAICM).
🚫 Most Recent Ban: December 2024
MOALD banned three Highly Hazardous Pesticides via a gazette notification published 5 December 2024 (Nepal Gazette, Section 74). This is the most significant pesticide ban in Nepal in several years and directly affects some previously common products.
- Paraquat / Paraquat Dichloride — a fast-acting, non-selective herbicide. Linked to severe poisoning and long-term health effects including Parkinson's disease. Existing stock may be used for up to 2 years from the notification.
- Chlorpyrifos — a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide widely used in Nepal's vegetable and field crops, including in combination products like Aver Top. Existing stock may be used for up to 2 years from the notification.
- Phorate — a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide/acaricide. First ordered banned in 2015 and reaffirmed in this notification; no grace period was given.
Panchkhal Beej Bhandar has discontinued all affected products, including Aver Top (Chlorpyriphos 50% + Cypermethrin 5% EC). See our Aver Top discontinuation notice for details and registered alternatives.
Complete List of Banned Pesticides in Nepal
Since 2001, Nepal has banned roughly two dozen pesticides in stages. Published counts vary slightly (21, 24, or 26+) depending on the source and cut-off date, but the substances below are consistently identified across PQPMC records, government statements, and peer-reviewed research as banned in Nepal. They're grouped by chemical class for easier reference.
🧪 Organochlorines
DDT · Aldrin · Dieldrin · Endrin · Chlordane · Heptachlor · Mirex · Toxaphene · BHC / Lindane (HCH) · Endosulfan
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention — banned globally in agriculture for their long-term environmental persistence and bioaccumulation.
🧪 Organophosphates
Methyl Parathion (banned 2006) · Monocrotophos · Phosphamidon · Dichlorvos · Triazophos · Phorate (2015) · Chlorpyrifos (2024)
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors linked to acute poisoning; Methyl Parathion in particular was historically associated with a large share of fatal pesticide self-poisoning cases in Nepal before its ban.
🧪 Carbamates & Others
Carbofuran · Carbaryl · Benomyl · Organomercury compounds (fungicide use)
🧪 Herbicides
Paraquat / Paraquat Dichloride (2024)
One of the most widely used non-selective herbicides worldwide before its ban; already restricted or banned in many other countries.
Why These Pesticides Were Banned
🩺 Human Health
Nepal has one of the higher rates of pesticide self-poisoning in South Asia, and several banned compounds (Methyl Parathion, Phorate, Chlorpyrifos) were disproportionately linked to fatal poisonings. Removing the most acutely toxic products from the market is a recognised public-health intervention.
🌍 Environmental Persistence
Organochlorines like DDT and Aldrin resist breakdown in soil and water and accumulate in the food chain — the core concern behind the Stockholm Convention on POPs, which Nepal ratified in 2007.
🔬 Residue in Food Crops
Government and research testing has repeatedly found Chlorpyrifos residues in common vegetables such as chilli, eggplant, and tomato in the Nepali market, which contributed to its inclusion in the 2024 ban.
What This Means for Farmers & Dealers
⚠️ Do Not Buy, Sell, or Apply Banned Products
Selling or using a banned pesticide is a violation of the Pesticide Management Act 2019 and can result in stock seizure, license suspension, and fines. Banned products sometimes remain available in border markets under different brand names — always check the active ingredient, not just the product name.
✓ How to Check a Product
- Read the active ingredient on the label, not just the brand name
- Cross-check against the banned list above or the current PQPMC registered list
- Buy only from PQPMC-registered dealers who carry currently registered products
- If in doubt, call your supplier or the nearest Agriculture Knowledge Centre (AKC)
✓ Registered Alternatives from Panchkhal Beej Bhandar
All products currently listed in our catalog are PQPMC-registered and free of the banned substances above. If you previously used Aver Top or another Chlorpyrifos-based product, these cover the same pest range:
- Cora Plus (Emamectin Benzoate 2% + Indoxacarb 8% SC) — chewing pests: caterpillars, stem borer
- Van Guard (Alphacypermethrin 10% SC) — fast knockdown, chewing and sucking pests
- Super Pride (Acetamiprid 20% SP) — systemic control of aphids, whitefly
Sources & Further Reading
- Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center (PQPMC) — official registration and banned-list authority
- The Himalayan Times — "Three highly hazardous pesticides banned in Nepal"
- IPEN — "Nepal Leads Global Health Movement by Banning Three Highly Hazardous Pesticides"
- Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention (CPSP)
Stay Compliant, Stay Safe
Pesticide regulation in Nepal will keep evolving as new health and environmental data emerges. Panchkhal Beej Bhandar only distributes PQPMC-registered products, and we update our catalog and this page as soon as new bans are announced.
Questions about a specific product's status, or need help finding a registered alternative? Our team is a phone call away.
Have questions about a product or need a registered alternative?
📞 Call 011-499299