**Subject:** Summary of Actions to Ensure Fertilizer Quality Across India
**Date:** October 26, 2023
**Summary:**
In response to concerns regarding fertilizer quality, the Government of India, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has issued directives to State Governments to launch campaigns aimed at ensuring the quality of fertilizers available to farmers nationwide. The primary objective of these campaigns is to guarantee farmers have access to quality inputs in adequate quantities.
The government provides sufficient fertilizer quantities to States/Union Territories based on assessments conducted by the Ministry. State Governments bear the responsibility of ensuring fertilizers are accessible to farmers at the right time and location. The Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985, strictly prohibits the manufacture, import, and sale of fertilizers that do not meet prescribed standards. State Governments are authorized under the FCO to take legal action against those in violation.
State Governments are actively monitoring fertilizer manufacture and sales through inspections and sample collection to identify spurious and substandard products. The central government is regularly monitoring the enforcement actions undertaken by State Governments.
Since April 2025, enforcement actions have been taken across the country. These actions have resulted in 5,302 show cause notices being issued, 2,172 licenses being suspended or cancelled, and 170 First Information Reports (FIRs) being registered against defaulters.
Key Entities Referenced
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE: The Union Ministry responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare in India, overseeing policies and programs related to the sector.
SHRI MANISH JAISWAL: Member of Parliament who raised the question about fertilizer quality in the Lok Sabha.
SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR: The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare who provided the answer to the question in the Lok Sabha.
Fertiliser Control Order FCO, 1985: A regulatory order that prohibits the manufacture, import, and sale of non-standard fertilizers, empowering State Governments to take legal action against offenders.
States/UTs: Refers to all the States and Union Territories within India. State Governments are responsible for ensuring adequate fertilizer availability to farmers.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding fertilizer quality was raised.
April 2025: Starting month when numerous raids were conducted across the country regarding fertilizer quality.
India: The country to which the policy and the question in the Parliament relates.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2660
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05THAUGUST, 2025
QUALITY OF FERTILIZERS
2660. SHRI MANISH JAISWAL:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has issued instructions/directives to States to launch a campaign to
ensure the quality of fertilizers across the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the aims and the objectives of the said campaign;
(c) the details of measures taken to monitor and enforce compliance with fertilizer quality
standards during the campaign;
(d) whether the Government has also asked the State Governments to regularly monitor the
problem of fake and substandard agricultural inputs from its roots; and
(e) if so, the details thereof along with the response of the State Governments thereto?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (e): Government of India has issued instructions/directives to States to launch a campaign to
ensure the quality of fertilizers. The objective of the campaign is to ensure available quality inputs
to the farmers in adequate quantity.The Government supplies adequate quantities of fertilizer to the
States/UTs based on the assessment conducted by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It
is the responsibility of the States to ensure that adequate fertilizers are available to farmers at the
right place and at the location where it is required.
The Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985 strictly prohibits the manufacture /import/sale of any
fertilizer which are not of the prescribed standards. State Governments are empowered under FCO
to take strict legal action against the offenders. State Governments are regularly monitoring the
manufacture and sale of fertilizers, through inspections and sample collection, to check spurious
and substandard products.
The Government is regularly monitoring the enforcement action taken by State Governments.
Since April 2025, numerous raids have been conducted across the country with 5,302 show cause
notices issued, 2,172 licenses suspended/cancelled and 170 FIRs registered against defaulters.
*****