**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 2434 in Lok Sabha, answered on February 13, 2026, regarding the actions taken against companies involved in the manufacturing and sale of fake fertilizers. It details the measures taken by the Government of India and State Governments to ensure the supply of quality fertilizers and prevent violations under the Essential Commodities Act and the Fertilizer (Control) Order (FCO), 1985. The document reports on actions taken from April 2025 to February 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Regulatory Framework:**
* The DA&FW (Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare) administers the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO), 1985, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
* FCO, 1985, prohibits the manufacture/sale of non-standard fertilizers.
* **Enforcement and Monitoring:**
* State Governments are empowered as the enforcement authority under the FCO.
* State authorities take action as per the Essential Commodities Act, as applicable.
* The Government of India monitors enforcement action weekly in consultation with State Governments regarding black marketing, hoarding, substandard fertilizers, and diversion.
* **Penalties for Violations:**
* Violations of the Fertilizer (Control) Order can lead to administrative actions (cancellation/suspension of authorization) and penal actions under the Essential Commodities Act.
* Penalties can include imprisonment for three months to seven years.
* **Actions Taken:**
* Since April 2025, 430,541 raids have been conducted, 15,544 show cause notices issued, 6,620 licenses suspended/cancelled, and 794 FIRs registered.
* Some states have reported cases against persons/vendors involved in fake fertilizers.
* Chhattisgarh registered two FIRs, Haryana four, Karnataka fifteen, Madhya Pradesh sixteen, Maharashtra cases against 19 manufacturers, Odisha three, Rajasthan action against 42 manufacturers of suspicious fertilizers, and Uttar Pradesh reported 36 cases.
* **Other Measures:**
* Fertilizers have been declared an Essential Commodity under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
* State Governments have been empowered to prevent tagging/forceful selling.
* The DoF has issued instructions to fertilizer companies and State Governments to discourage tagging other products with subsidized fertilizers.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments**
* **Impact:** Responsible for enforcing the Fertilizer (Control) Order and Essential Commodities Act to ensure the supply of quality fertilizers.
* **Action Required:** To continue taking necessary actions against violators, conduct raids, issue notices, suspend/cancel licenses, and register FIRs as needed, while adhering to the Essential Commodities Act.
**Fertilizer Companies**
* **Impact:** Subject to the regulations and potential penalties for manufacturing or selling non-standard fertilizers.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with the FCO, 1985, avoid tagging other products with subsidized fertilizers, and cooperate with State authorities during inspections.
**Farmers**
* **Impact:** Relies on the availability of quality fertilizers and can be negatively affected by fake or substandard products.
* **Action Required:** Be vigilant and report any suspected violations to State authorities, ensure purchases are from authorized vendors, and be aware of their rights under the FCO.
Key Entities Referenced
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: Act under which the Government has declared fertilizers as an essential commodity.
Fertilizer (Control) Order (FCO), 1985: Order administered by the DA&FW that strictly prohibits the manufacture/sale of fertilizer which are not of prescribed standards.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: Central ministry responsible for matters related to fertilizers and chemical industries.
State Governments: Entity empowered to take action against violations of the FCO and responsible for ensuring the availability of quality fertilizers to farmers.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2434 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 13.02.2026
Action against Fake Fertilizers Companies
†2434: Shri Amra Ram:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any action against persons involved in
manufacturing fake chemical fertilizers in the country, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the number of factories engaged in manufacturing fake fertilizers/chemical
fertilizers detected in the country during the last five years along with the action
taken against them so far; and
(c) the action taken by the Government against the vendors and companies for
forcibly selling unnecessary medicines or other items along with fertilizers to
farmers till date?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) to (c) In order to ensure supply of quality fertilizers, the DA&FW is
administering the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO),1985
under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. FCO, 1985 strictly prohibits the
manufacture/sale of fertilizer which are not of prescribed standards. Under FCO, State
Governments are the enforcement authority empowered to take action against
violation. It is the responsibility of the States to ensure quality fertilizers are available
to farmers. Accordingly, State authorities take necessary action as per the Essential
Commodities Act as the case may be. Any violation of the provision of the Fertilizer
(Control) Order invokes both administrative action such as Cancellation & Suspension
of Authorization letter and Penal action under the Essential Commodities Act of
punishment for a period of three months to seven years. The Government of-2-
India in consultation with the State Government monitors the enforcement action taken
by State Government against the cases of Black marketing, Hoarding, Sub-standard
and Diversion on weekly basis. In the country, Since April 2025, 4,30,541 raids have
been conducted with 15,544 show cause notices issued, 6,620 licenses
suspended/cancelled and 794 FIRs registered against defaulters. The statement
indicating the number of cases of Black marketing, Hoarding, Sub-standard and
Diversion reported by the State Government is placed at Annexure.
Further, as per the information received from the State Governments, most States have
reported that no factories and companies are found involved in the manufacturing of
fake chemical fertilizers during the last five years. However, a few States have reported
such cases against person/vendors and actions taken by them. The State of
Chhattisgarh registered two FIRs; Haryana registered four FIRs; Karnataka registered
15 FIRs; Madhya Pradesh reported 16 cases of fake fertilizers and registered 14 FIRs;
Maharashtra registered cases against 19 manufacturers involved in fake fertilizers;
Odisha reported three cases; Rajasthan took action against 42 manufacturers of
suspicious fertilizers; and Uttar Pradesh reported 36 cases during the last five years.
Furthermore, Government of India has declared fertilizers as an Essential Commodity
under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and has adequately empowered State
Governments to prevent any form of tagging/forceful selling. However, DoF has issued
instructions on regular basis to fertilizer companies and State Governments to
discourage tagging of other products with subsidized fertilizers.
*******-3-
Annexure referred in reply to part (a) to ( c) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question No. 2434 to be answered on 13/02/2026
Cumulative Statement from April 25 to February 26 (as on 06.02.2026)
Action taken by the State Government to check black marketing, hoarding, quality check, diversion etc during the Kharif season from April 2025 to February 2026 as on date (06.02.2026)
Black Marketing Hoardi Sub Standard Quality Diversi Toat
ng on Convicti al
No. of No. of No. of No. of on with Show No. of
No. of
States Inspectio Show licenses FIR Show licenses FIR Show licenses FIR Show licenses FIR details* cause licenses FIR
cause cancelle registe cause cancelle registe cause cancelle registe cause cancelle registe notice cancelle registe
ns notice d/su red notice d/su red notice d/su red notice d/su red issued d/su red
/raids issued spended issued spended issued spended issued spended spended
Andhra Pradesh 21631 80 10 9 196 11 19 354 0 0 19 4 12 NIL 649 25 40
Arunachal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 0 0 0
Pradesh
Assam 4864 12 6 1 59 0 0 46 1 0 27 0 0 NIL 144 7 1
Bihar 23443 1264 797 117 7 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 1277 797 117
Chhattisgarh 6975 295 13 4 29 1 0 145 5 0 24 0 0 NIL 493 19 4
Dadar & Nagar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 0 0 0
Delhi 355 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 NIL 3 3 1
Goa 619 544 180 6 10 0 0 32 1 0 16 0 0 NIL 602 181 6
Gujarat 16480 56 3 1 25 0 0 131 2 0 19 4 11 NIL 231 9 12
Haryana 5139 65 15 10 24 20 5 51 12 6 13 5 6 NIL 153 52 27
Himachal 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 0 0 0
Pradesh
Jammu & 4855 143 44 2 34 3 0 67 2 0 8 0 0 NIL 252 49 2
Kashmir
Jharkhand 759 57 20 11 32 4 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 NIL 92 25 11
Karnataka 8824 368 25 1 243 5 0 246 14 2 96 6 8 NIL 953 50 11
Kerala 1608 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 4 0 4 NIL 54 0 4
Madhya Pradesh 6110 0 0 92 0 0 0 744 44 4 729 160 15 NIL 1473 204 111
Maharashtra 49007 16 0 16 0 0 0 1704 1354 44 1 73 2 NIL 1721 1427 62
Manipur 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 NIL 1 0 0
Meghalaya 707 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 0 0 0
Mizoram 37 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 NIL 6 0 0
Nagaland 78 14 0 14 0 0 0 101 0 0 2 64 1 NIL 117 64 15
Odisha 7640 4 3 2 0 0 0 55 1 1 2084 110 4 NIL 2143 114 7
Puducherry 52 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 0 0 0
Punjab 6513 37 1 1 20 0 1 307 93 3 5 0 6 NIL 369 94 11
Rajasthan 11938 652 118 48 74 40 34 512 1 2 27 22 27 NIL 1265 181 111
Tamilnadu 21342 14 0 4 6 8 0 33 25 0 112 17 1 NIL 165 50 5
Telangana 135052 5 9 3 4 2 0 128 0 0 4 0 5 NIL 141 11 8
Tripura 803 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 9 0 0
Uttar Pradesh 42548 2480 2951 183 164 139 11 167 161 20 88 7 14 3 2899 3258 228
Uttarakhand 510 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 43 0 0 NIL 43 0 0
West Bengal 52634 0 0 0 0 0 0 289 0 0 0 0 0 NIL 289 0 0
Total 430541 6108 4195 526 936 233 70 5173 1716 82 3327 476 116 3 15544 6620 794