Centre has notified 101 more biostimulants under Fertilizer Control Order (FCO)
Biostimulants were incorporated under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) in India for the first time in 2021. The biostimulant market in India is estimated at $211 million, while the global market stands at $3.39 billion
In May 2024, eleven biostimulants were registered under the FCO, followed by thirty-four more in May 2025. Now, the government has registered an additional 101, bringing the total number of notified formulations to 146
According to the latest notification by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on August 13, formulations such as fulvic acid and humic acid derivatives, extracts of Sargassum sp., cytokinin, and glutamic acid have been notified
Challenges to be faced by Industry
To begin manufacturing the newly notified biostimulants, manufacturers must obtain approval from the state government — a process that is expected to take another six months before production can actually commence.
Manufacturers must obtain approval from each state they wish to enter, and each state takes its own time to grant product approval.
Many companies are still waiting for approvals to sell the previously notified 45 biostimulants in several states
Future Aspects
According to Vipin Saini, CEO of the Biological Agri Solutions Association of India (BASAI), there are still 477 products in the pipeline awaiting scrutiny
Latest bio simulants FCO