From Crop Losses to Economic Losses: ICAR Analysis Highlights The Impact of Insect Pests and Diseases on Indian Agriculture
By Shashank P. R., Manoj Choudhary and Shravan M Haldhar
Agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, supporting the livelihoods of millions of farming households and playing a vital role in national food and nutritional security. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, ensuring adequate agricultural production is very important. Despite outstanding progress in crop improvement, irrigation, mechanisation, fertiliser management and agricultural technologies, achieving the full yield potential of crops remains a major challenge. One of the most important reasons is the persistent damage caused by insect pests and plant diseases.
Crop losses refer to the reduction in the quantity and quality of agricultural produce that occurs when the attainable or potential yield is not realised. These losses may occur at different stages of crop production, from seedling establishment and vegetative growth to flowering, fruit development and harvesting. Insect pests cause damage through feeding, sap sucking, boring, mining and other feeding activities, while plant diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses interfere with normal plant growth, physiological functions and reproductive development. Some insects also act as vectors, transmitting viral and other pathogens, thereby multiplying the damage. The consequences extend far beyond reduced harvests. Crop losses translate into lower farm incomes, increased production costs, reduced availability of food and raw materials, fluctuations in market prices and diminished competitiveness of agricultural commodities. In horticultural crops, pest and disease damage can also reduce marketability, shelf life and export quality. Thus, crop losses represent both a biological challenge and a substantial economic burden.
At the global level, insect pests and plant diseases are estimated to reduce crop yields by approximately 20-40% annually. In India, earlier estimates have highlighted substantial losses due to biotic stresses, including weeds, insect pests, diseases, nematodes and rodents. However, comprehensive and updated assessments specifically quantifying the contribution of insect pests and plant diseases across different crop groups have remained limited.
Recognising this knowledge gap, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through the ICAR-National Research Institute for Integrated Pest Management (ICAR-NRIIPM), New Delhi, has brought out the important report on "Crop Yield Losses in India: Economic Impact of Insect Pests and Diseases (2026)". Drawing upon data collected during 2021–2025 from ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, All India Coordinated Research Projects and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, this assessment provides a national perspective on the magnitude of crop losses and their economic implications.
The assessment reveals the enormous impact of insect pests and plant diseases on Indian agriculture. Across the major agricultural and horticultural crop groups examined, the average yield loss attributable to insect pests was estimated at 16.85%, while plant diseases accounted for an additional 15.02%. The combined average yield loss was estimated at 31.87%, with crop-group-wise combined losses ranging from 18.77% to 42.81%. This indicates that a substantial proportion of potential agricultural production is lost to these biological constraints. The economic implications are equally alarming. The estimated average annual monetary loss due to insect pests and diseases was approximately ₹6,14,532 crore (₹6.15 lakh crore), with a minimum estimated loss of ₹5,13,859 crore (₹5.14 lakh crore). The average annual economic losses caused by insect pests and plant diseases in Indian agriculture are estimated to be substantial, with insect pests accounting for approximately ₹3,03,879 crore, while plant diseases contribute an even higher loss of approximately ₹3,10,653 crore. Interestingly, diseases account for a slightly greater share of the total monetary losses than insect pests.
This national assessment provides an interesting perspective when crop groups are compared in terms of both yield reduction and economic impact. The comparison reveals three important patterns. First, flower crops, vegetables and oilseeds experience particularly high proportional yield losses. Second, cereals account for the largest economic loss because of their extensive cultivation and production value. Third, diseases contribute more than insect pests to the overall economic losses in several important crop groups, including pulses, oilseeds and vegetables.
Table. Shows losses due to insect pests, diseases, combined loss and annual economic loss in different crop group.
Crop group | Insect pest yield loss (%) | Disease yield loss (%) | Combined yield loss (%) | Insect pest loss (₹ crore) | Disease loss (₹ crore) | Total monetary loss (₹ crore) | Share of total loss (%) |
Cereals | 12.31 | 11.61 | 23.92 | 78,832 | 62,971 | 1,41,803 | 23.1% |
Vegetables | 17.68 | 22.88 | 40.56 | 52,902 | 77,154 | 1,30,056 | 21.2% |
Fruits | 19.42 | 15.24 | 34.66 | 48,629 | 51,681 | 1,00,310 | 16.3% |
Oilseeds | 16.52 | 23.56 | 40.08 | 44,975 | 47,534 | 92,509 | 15.1% |
Commercial crops | 10.96 | 9.90 | 20.86 | 29,065 | 25,801 | 54,866 | 8.9% |
Pulses | 14.37 | 18.58 | 32.95 | 21,787 | 22,535 | 44,322 | 7.2% |
Flowers | 27.20 | 15.61 | 42.81 | 12,935 | 7,423 | 20,358 | 3.3% |
Spices | 10.26 | 8.51 | 18.77 | 9,865 | 6,857 | 16,722 | 2.7% |
Plantation crops | 22.89 | 9.31 | 32.20 | 4,889 | 8,697 | 13,586 | 2.2% |
Total / mean | 16.85 | 15.02 | 31.87 | 3,03,879 | 3,10,653 | 6,14,532 | 100.0% |
Source: Thangavelu et al (2026), Crop Yield Losses in India: Economic Impact of Insect Pests and Diseases.
The substantial crop losses caused by insect pests and diseases highlight the limitations of relying on individual control measures and reinforce the need for sustainable, science-based pest management. As per the report, significant losses occur across all major crop groups, from cereals and pulses to oilseeds, commercial crops, fruits, vegetables, spices and flowers, a coordinated national approach is essential to reduce yield losses due to pests and diseases. Also, systematic crop loss assessment studies such as this are particularly important for evidence based policymaking, as they quantify the magnitude and economic impact of losses, identify vulnerable crops and priority pests, and help policymakers prioritise research investments, allocate resources and formulate targeted plant protection strategies. Such evidence will help in strengthening the pest surveillance, accurate diagnostics, resistant varieties, biological control, IPM adoption and farmer-centric extension services.
In conclusion, reducing crop losses is therefore a practical pathway to enhancing productivity, improving farmers incomes, conserving natural resources, and strengthening India's food and nutritional security. Protecting crops from pests and diseases is not merely a plant protection priority rather, it is a fundamental necessity for national food and nutritional security.
For more details, refer:
Thangavelu R, Choudhary M, Birah A, Haldhar SM, Arya M, Kumar A, Malik M, Singh N and Jasrotia P (2026). Crop Yield Losses in India: Economic Impact of Insect Pests and Diseases. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, xviii+38 p. https://nriipm.res.in/ncipmpdfs/Publication/CropYieldLossesInIndia.pdf
Shashank P. R. is a Senior Scientist (Entomology) at the Division of Entomology, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. His areas of specialization include insect taxonomy, molecular diagnosis and invasive insect pests. He is also the Founding Managing Editor of Indian Entomologist.
Email: spathour@gmail.com
Manoj Choudhary is a Scientist specialized in Plant Pathology working ICAR-National Reserach Institute for Integrated Pest Management, New Delhi.
Shravan M Haldhar is a Principal Scientist specialized in Entomology working at ICAR-National Reserach Institute for Integrated Pest Management, New Delhi.
Disclaimer: The contents, style, language, plagiarism, references, mention of any products if any, etc., are the sole responsibility of the authors.
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