The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has issued the Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) (Control) Ninth Amendment Order, 2025, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. This amendment updates the provisions in Clause 29 of the original 1985 Order concerning the analysis of biostimulant samples.
As per the reviewed sub-clause (1C), samples collected by inspectors must now be tested according to procedures listed in Part C of Schedule VI. The analysis will be carried out at the Central Fertiliser Quality Control and Training Institute in Faridabad or its regional labs in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kalyani. Further authorized testing facilities comprise the National Institute of Plant Health Management in Hyderabad, the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute in Bhavnagar, the Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology in Gurugram, and the National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms in Mau.
In addition, state governments may elect additional laboratories for biostimulant testing, subject to prior approval by the Central Government. This move aims to simplify and fortify quality control in fertiliser regulation.