Executive Summary:
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3370 regarding the extensive use, hoarding, and distribution of substandard urea in India, to be answered on August 8, 2025. It outlines the government's existing regulatory framework under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) 1955 and Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) 1985. It also presents state-wise data on urea seizures and actions taken against substandard fertilizers.
Key Points / Main Content:
* Regulatory Framework:
* Fertilizer is an essential commodity regulated under the FCO 1985 and Fertilizer Movement Control Order 1973.
* State governments are empowered to prevent black marketing and hoarding under the ECA 1955 and FCO.
* The FCO 1985 specifies fertilizer standards, prohibiting the sale of non-compliant products.
* Selling substandard fertilizers is punishable under the ECA 1955.
* Quality Control Mechanism:
* District Quality Control mechanisms are in place for vigilance and awareness.
* Awareness is spread among farmers through various media channels.
* Data on Urea Seizures and Substandard Fertilizers (as reported by States):
* Includes state-wise data on urea seized/recovered from 2022-23 to the current year (April 1, 2025, to August 1, 2025).
* Details number of inspections, show cause notices issued, licenses suspended/cancelled, and FIRs registered related to substandard fertilizers during Kharif 2025 (April 1, 2025, to August 1, 2025).
Impact Analysis:
* State Governments:
* Impact: Responsible for enforcing the FCO and ECA to prevent black marketing, hoarding, and sale of substandard fertilizers.
* Action Required: Continue monitoring and taking punitive actions against violations.
* Fertilizer Companies:
* Impact: Subject to regulatory oversight and potential penalties for violating quality standards and engaging in malpractices.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with FCO specifications and avoid activities like black marketing or selling substandard products.
* Farmers:
* Impact: Affected by the availability and quality of urea fertilizers.
* Action Required: Be aware of fertilizer quality standards and report any suspected substandard products.
Key Entities Referenced
Urea: A nitrogen-based chemical fertilizer widely used in agriculture.
Fertilizer Control Order FCO 1985: A regulatory order in India that specifies the standards and quality control measures for fertilizers.
Fertilizer Movement Control Order 1973: A regulatory order related to the movement and distribution of fertilizers in India.
Essential Commodities Act ECA 1955: An act of the Parliament of India to provide, in the interests of the general public, for the control of the production, supply and distribution of, and trade and commerce in, certain commodities.
Kharif 2025: The Kharif season of the year 2025, referring to the crop growing season during the monsoon period in India.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India.
Haryana: A state in India.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3370TO BE ANSWERED ON: 08.08.2025
Extensive use of Urea
✝3370:SMT. MANJU SHARMA:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken note of the extensive use and increasing hoarding
ofagricultural urea in the country;
(b) if so, the details of such urea seized/recovered during the last three years and the
currentyear, State-wise and year-wise; and
(c) whether the Government is aware that substandard urea is being distributed to farmers
inthe country, if so the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) to (c) Fertilizer is declared as an essential commodity and is notified under Fertilizer
Control Order (FCO) – 1985 and Fertilizer (Movement Control) Order – 1973. State governments
are adequately empowered under FCO to stop black marketing/ hoarding of fertilizers and to
take punitive action against any person/fertilizer company involved in such malpractices by
violating the provisions of Essential Commodities Act (ECA) – 1955 and FCO. Besides, FCO –
1985 has also laid down fertilizer-wise detailed specifications. Any fertilizer, not meeting the said
specifications, cannot be sold in the country for agricultural purpose. Clause 19 of FCO strictly
prohibits the sale or manufacture of fertilizers which are not of prescribed standards. Any sale
of substandard/fake/adulterated fertilizers is punishable under ECA – 1955.
Moreover, in order to regulate the sale of sub-standard fertilizers in the State, there is a District
Quality control mechanism for awareness & vigilance at the field level and awareness is spread
among the farmers on the regular basis through press note, TV talks, Kishan Gosti, Krushimela,
Krushi Mahotsav etc.
Accordingly, as per the information received from the State governments, the details regarding
number of cases of sub-standard fertilizers & action taken against them by the States during the
ongoing Kharif 2025 season i.e. from 01.04.2025 to 01.08.205; along with the data regarding
seizure of Urea by the States in last 3 years and in current year is placed at Annexure.
*******Annexure
Annexure referred to reply part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question 3370 to be answered on 08.08.2025
CASES OF UREA SIEZURE AND SUB STANDARD FERTILIZERS AS REPORTED BY STATES
Urea seized/recovered by States Sub Standard Fertilizers (01.04.2025 to 01.08.2025)
No. of
No. of
Show cause licenses FIR
States 2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23 Inspections
Sr. No. notice issued cancelled/su registered
/raids
spended
1 Andhra Pradesh NIL NIL NIL NIL 577 5 0 0
2 Arunachal Pradesh NIL NIL NIL NIL 0 0 0 0
3 Assam NIL NIL NIL NIL 1681 11 0 0
4 Bihar NIL NIL NIL NIL 7176 0 0 0
5 Chhattisgarh NIL NIL NIL NIL 3661 110 5 0
6 Dadar & Nagar NIL NIL NIL NIL 0 0 0 0
7 Delhi 1718 bags NIL 2383 bags NIL 99 3 0 0
8 Goa NIL NIL NIL NIL 602 32 1 0
9 Gujarat NIL NIL NIL NIL 4566 64 1 0
10 Haryana 3541 bags 1700 bags 8927 bags 3323 bags 4133 40 10 3
11 Himachal Pradesh NIL NIL NIL NIL 0 0 0 0
12 Jammu & Kashmir 20.72 MTs NIL NIL NIL 1568 28 0 0
13 Jharkhand NIL NIL NIL NIL 352 1 0 0
14 Karnataka NIL 156 MTs 91.16 MTs 12.85 MTs 3538 117 10 0
15 Kerala NIL NIL NIL NIL 323 2 0 0
16 Madhya Pradesh NIL NIL NIL NIL 276 0 0 0
17 Maharashtra 331 MTs 151 MTs 20 MTs 32 MTs 26870 322 35 17
18 Manipur NIL NIL NIL NIL 3 0 0 0
19 Meghalaya NIL NIL NIL NIL 169 0 0 0
20 Mizoram NIL 124 bags NIL NIL 11 0 0 0
21 Nagaland NIL NIL NIL NIL 64 101 0 0
22 Odisha NIL NIL NIL NIL 3622 10 0 0
23 Puducherry NIL NIL NIL NIL 10 0 0 0
24 Punjab NIL NIL NIL NIL 2323 65 23 2
25 Rajasthan 12400 bags 1980 bags NIL 274 bags 5828 72 0 0
26 Tamilnadu NIL 195.565 NIL NIL 10837 4 3 0
27 Telangana 85.635 MTs NIL NIL NIL 47518 6 0 0
28 Tripura NIL NIL NIL NIL 304 0 0 0
29 Uttar Pradesh NIL NIL NIL NIL 16193 141 18 2
30 Uttarakhand NIL NIL NIL NIL 158 0 0 0
31 West Bengal NIL NIL NIL NIL 15666 217 0 0to