📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Post of India
Agriculture
ICAR partners with FCI to pilot eco‑friendly pest control in grain warehouses
✍️ business-standard.com
🗓 02 Oct 2026, 01:16 PM
👁 15
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has joined the Food Corporation of India to test new, non‑chemical pest‑management methods in its grain storage facilities.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) have formalised a collaboration to evaluate alternative pest‑control solutions for grain storage. The partnership aims to replace conventional chemical fumigants with methods that are safer for consumers and the environment.
The trial will focus on integrated pest‑management approaches, including biological agents and controlled atmosphere techniques, to curb insect infestations in FCI’s warehouses. Researchers from ICAR will monitor efficacy, grain quality, and cost‑effectiveness throughout the pilot phase.
If successful, the new protocols could reduce chemical residues in staple grains such as wheat and rice, enhance food safety, and align with India’s broader sustainability objectives. The initiative reflects growing interest in modernising the country’s food‑grain supply chain while protecting public health.
FCI, which manages the nation’s strategic food reserves, stores millions of tonnes of grain across the country. Implementing greener pest‑control measures could set a precedent for other large‑scale storage operators.
The trial is slated to run for several months, after which findings will be reviewed to decide on wider adoption across FCI’s network of silos.
The trial will focus on integrated pest‑management approaches, including biological agents and controlled atmosphere techniques, to curb insect infestations in FCI’s warehouses. Researchers from ICAR will monitor efficacy, grain quality, and cost‑effectiveness throughout the pilot phase.
If successful, the new protocols could reduce chemical residues in staple grains such as wheat and rice, enhance food safety, and align with India’s broader sustainability objectives. The initiative reflects growing interest in modernising the country’s food‑grain supply chain while protecting public health.
FCI, which manages the nation’s strategic food reserves, stores millions of tonnes of grain across the country. Implementing greener pest‑control measures could set a precedent for other large‑scale storage operators.
The trial is slated to run for several months, after which findings will be reviewed to decide on wider adoption across FCI’s network of silos.