In News:

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last week wrote to Chief Ministers of all states to immediately stop the “forced tagging” of nano-fertilisers or biostimulants along with conventional fertilisers.

What are Biostimulants?

Biostimulants are substances or microorganisms that enhance nutrient uptake, plant growth, yield, and stress resistance in crops. They are distinct from fertilisers and pesticides, as they do not directly supply nutrients or control pests.

• Composition: Often derived from plant waste, seaweed extracts, or microbes.
• Function: Stimulate physiological processes in plants.
• Not classified as: Fertilisers (under nutrient input) or Pesticides (regulated under Insecticides Act, 1968).

Official Definition (FCO, 1985): A substance or microorganism whose primary function is to stimulate physiological processes in plants, enhancing nutrient uptake, growth, and yield—but not including pesticides or plant growth regulators.

Regulatory Framework

• Governing Law: Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985 – amended in February 2021 to include biostimulants.
• Central Biostimulant Committee (CBC): Established in April 2021 for five years to advise the Ministry on:
  • Product approval and specifications
  • Sampling/testing methods
  • Lab and data standards

Toxicity and Safety Requirements:

To be approved, biostimulants must undergo:

• 5 acute toxicity tests: Oral, dermal, inhalation (rat), skin, and eye irritation (rabbit)
• 4 eco-toxicity tests: Impact on fish, birds, honeybees, and earthworms
• Field trials: At 3 agro-ecological zones, with 3 doses, for one crop season

No biostimulant shall contain pesticide beyond 0.01 ppm.

Why Tightened Regulation?

• Previous Lack of Oversight: Biostimulants operated in a regulatory vacuum for years.
• Market Flooded with Unapproved Products: Over 30,000 unregulated products were in circulation.
• Farmer Complaints: Rising concerns over efficacy and “forced sales” with subsidised fertilisers like urea and DAP.
• Judicial Push: A 2011 Punjab & Haryana HC observation prompted states to monitor biostimulant sales more stringently.

Recent Government Measures

• Provisional Registration (2021–2024): Allowed 2-year sale of products while testing was underway. Deadline extended repeatedly until June 16, 2024.  Post-June 2024: Unsold stocks from unregistered firms are no longer permitted for sale.
• Retailer Misuse: Reports of retailers forcing farmers to buy biostimulants with subsidised fertilisers prompted Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to direct states to halt such practices.
• Product Crackdown: From over 8,000 products four years ago, the number of approved products is now down to 650.
• Crop-Specific Specifications (May 2025): Government notified biostimulant standards for crops including tomato, chilli, brinjal, paddy, cotton, potato, soybean, maize, etc.