The anticoagulant rodenticides bromadiolone (0.005%), brodifacoum (0.005%) and warfarin (0.025%) were tried for their efficacy against rodent pests in paddy fields around Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, South India. Baiting with bromadiolone and brodifacoum for 3 days and warfarin for 10 days continuously gave 70, 74 and 66% control, respectively. Fumigation of the residual population using aluminium phosphide further enhanced the percentage control in warfarin‐treated units. It is suggested that both bromadiolone and brodifacoum, second generation anticoagulants, are more effective and economical for the control of field rodents than warfarin, a multiple dose anticoagulant rodenticide.