**Policy Summary: Regulation of Biostimulant Products under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985**
This policy update concerns the regulation of biostimulant products in India under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985. Prior to regulation, approximately 30,000 biostimulant products were available in the market. In 2021, the Government of India included biostimulants under the FCO, establishing Clause 20C to regulate their quality. The FCO defines a biostimulant as a substance or microorganism, or a combination thereof, that stimulates physiological processes in plants, enhancing nutrient uptake, growth, yield, nutrition efficiency, crop quality, and stress tolerance, excluding pesticides and plant growth regulators governed by the Insecticides Act, 1968.
Biostimulants are classified under Schedule VI of the FCO into categories including botanical extracts, biochemicals, protein hydrolysates and amino acids, vitamins, cell-free microbial products, antioxidants, antitranspirants, humic and fulvic acid derivatives, and live microorganisms (excluding biofertilizers and biopesticides).
A provisional registration system was implemented, issuing G3 Provisional Certificates for over 8,000 products to allow manufacturers/importers time to generate necessary data on bioefficacy, toxicity, and chemistry. The provisional registration, initially valid until February 23, 2023, was extended multiple times, most recently until June 16, 2025. The government has decided against further extensions beyond this date.
As of June 17, 2025, provisional registrations for biostimulant products are invalid. A list of these products is available on the Department of Agriculture's website. Currently, 146 biostimulant products are included in Schedule VI of the FCO, as per notifications published in the Gazette of India and available on the Department of Agriculture's website.
For further information, farmers can contact the toll-free number 18001801551.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture Farmers Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare, which regulates biostimulant products.
Fertilizer Control Order FCO, 1985: A regulatory order in India that governs the quality and distribution of fertilizers, including biostimulants after the 2021 amendment.
Notification No S.O. 882 E dated 23 February, 2021: The specific notification that included biostimulants under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985.
Insecticides Act, 1968: Indian legislation regulating pesticides and plant growth regulators, which are excluded from the definition of biostimulants under the FCO, 1985.
Schedule VI: The schedule within the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) that lists the biostimulant products approved for use in India.
Gazette of India: The official government publication in which notifications regarding approved biostimulant products are published.
Department of Agriculture: The department under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare responsible for uploading lists of provisionally registered and approved biostimulant products.
Delhi: Location of Press Information Bureau (PIB), where the regulation information was posted.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Regulation of Biostimulant Products under Fertilizer
Control Order (FCO), 1985
Posted On: 09 SEP 2025 8:28PM by PIB Delhi
Prior to inclusion of Biostimulant products in Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985, there were around 30000
products in the market. In order to regulate biostimulants in the country, the Government of India issued
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Notification No S.O. 882 (E) dated 23 February, 2021 by which the biostimulants have been included in the
Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985 and provision under Clause 20C has been made for regulating the
quality of biostimulant.
As per Fertilizer Control Order, 1985 (FCO) “Bio-stimulant” means a substance or micro-organism or a
combination of both whose primary function when applied to plants, seeds or rhizosphere is to stimulate
physiological processes in plants and to enhance its nutrient uptake, growth, yield, nutrition efficiency, crop
quality and tolerance to stress, regardless of its nutrient content, but does not include pesticides or plant
growth regulators which are regulated under Insecticides Act, 1968. Bio-stimulants specified in the Schedule
VI shall be classified under any of the following categories, namely:-
(a)Botanical extracts, including seaweed extracts;
(b) Bio-chemicals;
(c) Protein hydrolysates and amino acids;
(d) Vitamins;
(e) Cell free microbial products;
(f) Antioxidants;
(g) Anti-transpirants;
(h) Humic & fulvic acid and their derivatives
(i) Live micro-organisms excluding biofertilisers and biopesticides
The provisional registration of biostimulants was a temporary provision for which G3 (Provisional
Certificates) were issued for more than 8000 products of biostimulants to provide adequate time to
manufacturers/importers for generating data on bioefficacy, toxicity, chemistry, etc. which is
prerequisite for inclusion of biostimulants in Schedule VI, FCO. The Provisional registration for
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biostimulants was initially valid for a period of two years, ending 23 February, 2023, which was
nd nd th
extended till 22 February, 2024, further extended till 22 February, 2025 and again to 16 June,
2025, on the request of industry.
The Government has provided these extensions to the existing manufacturers/importers to
manufacture/import for sale, sell, offer for sale, stock or exhibit biostimulants for a specific period to facilitate
a smooth transition to the regulatory framework and ensure the continuation of manufacturing, importing,
selling, and stocking of biostimulants by stakeholders. Keeping in view the interests of farmers, the
Government has decided not to give any further extension to the provisional registration for biostimulant
products beyond 16.06.2025. Accordingly, the Provisional Registration issued for biostimulants products
stand invalid since 17.06.2025. The list of provisional registration for biostimulants products which have
become invalid henceforth has been uploaded on the website of the Department of Agriculture as follows:
https://www.agriwelfare.gov.in/en/CirBiostimulants:Documents>>Circulars/Notifications>>Biostimulants
As of now, the Government of India has included only 146 Biostimulant Products in the Schedule VI
of the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985 for which various notifications have been published in
the Gazette of India and uploaded on the website of the Department of Agriculture as follows:
https://www.agriwelfare.gov.in/en/CirBiostimulants:Documents>>Circulars/Notifications>>Biostimula
nts
The Government of India has also issued a toll-free number for farmers, which is 1800-180-1551.
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RC/KSR/AR
(Release ID: 2165081)