Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (GCPL) announced on Friday that it has developed a patented mosquito repellent molecule named ‘Renofluthrin,’ now integrated into its household insecticide products. At a press conference, Managing Director and CEO Sudhir Sitapati emphasized that this innovation marks a significant advancement in mosquito control, potentially doubling the effectiveness of existing liquid vaporizer solutions.

Renofluthrin is the result of a decade-long collaboration between GCPL and its partner, Shogun, involving extensive research and investment. Although the company did not disclose the development costs, it holds exclusive rights to use Renofluthrin in its products for the next six to eight years. The new molecule has been incorporated into the Goodknight Flash liquid vaporizer and the company’s mosquito repellent incense sticks (agarbattis). Plans are underway to integrate Renofluthrin across the entire household insecticide product range in the coming months.

In India, the household insecticides market is valued at approximately Rs 6,000 crore, with the illegal incense sticks market around Rs 1,500 crore. GCPL currently holds a 50% market share in this category, and Sitapati expressed confidence that introducing Renofluthrin would help increase this share. He pointed out that the influx of illegal incense sticks containing harmful Chinese chemicals has disrupted the market, offering cheaper but unsafe alternatives. To combat this, GCPL has launched a new, safe, and effective incense stick using the R&F formula, priced competitively with local, potentially illegal, options. This initiative aims to encourage a return to safer electric formats, a trend that had stalled due to the availability of cheaper unsafe options.

Renofluthrin targets common mosquito species such as Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex, aiming to reduce the incidence of diseases like malaria and dengue. Sitapati highlighted the prevalent issue of unsafe mosquito repellents, particularly incense sticks with unregistered chemicals from China. He expressed confidence in the success of GCPL’s branded, safe products, which are also more profitable compared to incense sticks.

Discussing rural demand, Sitapati noted some positive signs and expressed optimism about a revival, partly due to government efforts to boost rural consumption and favorable monsoon conditions. He mentioned that the economic slowdown is more related to lower and unorganized income sectors, affecting both urban and rural areas, particularly at the bottom of the pyramid. Sitapati attributed this ongoing issue to post-COVID challenges, which have persisted longer than expected.

Looking ahead to the upcoming Budget, Sitapati emphasized the need for a focused stimulus to revive consumption.