Concerned about irregularities in the biostimulant market, Agriculture Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday that the government will no longer allow the sale of biostimulants without proper scientific approval.
During a review meeting, Chouhan criticized officials from the Agriculture Ministry and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for ignoring the increasing sale of biostimulants, despite frequent complaints from farmers about their poor quality and ineffectiveness.
According to an official statement, the minister instructed that only biostimulants proven effective in the field and meeting quality standards should be allowed for sale. He also directed officials to draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with clear rules and regulations.
“From now on, permission to sell biostimulants will only be granted after scientific approval, and the responsibility will lie with the concerned officials,” Chouhan said.
Biostimulants are substances or microorganisms—such as beneficial bacteria, fungi, or plant extracts—that, when applied to seeds, plants, or soil, enhance natural plant growth processes.
Expressing further concern, Chouhan pointed out that although biostimulants have been sold in India for many years, their approval has often been extended annually without proper review. He said many products continue to be sold even after repeated farmer complaints about their ineffectiveness. Also Read | Govt to regulate fertiliser and other unorganized ₹1,500cr biostimulants industry
“There must be a thorough review of biostimulants to assess how much farmers are benefiting. If there is no benefit, then permission to sell them should not be granted,” he added.
Thousands of companies have started selling biostimulants without following any regulations, but the government will not allow this to continue. Chouhan also warned that action will be taken against suspicious manufacturers.
Currently, India has a regulatory framework for biostimulants under the Fertiliser (Control) Order (FCO), 1985, which has been updated in 2024 and 2025 to include comprehensive guidelines.
The biostimulant market in India was valued at around USD 355–362 million in 2024 and is expected to grow to between USD 1.13 billion and USD 1.2 billion by 2032.
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