Counterfeit Or Substandard Fertilizers

Counterfeit Or Substandard Fertilizers: Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister urged all States and UTs to launch campaigns ensuring fertilizer quality and eliminating fake agricultural inputs to protect farmers.

• About Counterfeit fertilizers: Fake products that are fraudulently labeled to appear as genuine, branded fertilizers but do not contain the claimed nutrients or ingredients.

o Substandard fertilizers: Products that may be genuine but fail to meet the required quality standards, such as lower nutrient content, improper formulation, or expired shelf life, making them ineffective or harmful to crops and soil.

• Key Directives Issued to States and Uts: Ensure Timely Availability: Fertilizers must be made available on time and in region-specific quantities to prevent hoarding and diversion.

o Strengthen Quality Checks: Conduct regular sampling and testing to identify spurious or substandard fertilizers.

o Stop Forced Bundling: Prohibit the mandatory sale of nano or bio-stimulants with traditional fertilizers.

o Enforce Legal Action: File FIRs, cancel licenses, and ensure convictions against those dealing in fake fertilizers.

o Promote Farmer Involvement: Engage farmers through feedback systems and awareness drives to help them detect genuine products.

• Legal Framework: Supported by the Fertilizer (Control) Order (FCO), 1985, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, making the sale of counterfeit or substandard fertilizers a punishable offence,

o FCO defines:   → Substances allowed as fertilizers           →Product-wise specifications.

                              → Licensing/registration procedures for manufacturers and dealers.

                         → Conditions for fertilizer trade and distribution.