Recently, a regulatory body as well as compliance requirements for the biostimulant market in India have been established in line with the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), issued in 1985. The Indian biostimulant market is largely dominated by micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSME) and currently estimated to be worth about US$ 201mn becoming one of the fastest-growing sub-sectors of the economy. The new regulations require manufacturers to register products at authority providing a set of information on chemistry (composition, analytical methods, shelf-life), bio-efficacy trials conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), state agricultural universities (SAUs) preferably in agro-ecological zones, as well as toxicity data and heavy metal analysis. The regulations also allow for the establishment of a regulatory body to monitor the end-to-end movements within the industry. The committee is to control the quality and specifications of all biostimulants and ensure the use of safe substances and organic compounds in manufacturing of products. The agrochemical landscape in India is dominated by farming-related services and specialty products. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) categorises biostimulants under the latter category alongside micronutrients, biopesticides, and biofertilisers that have recently begun to permeate the markets. Guiding the policymaking process toward levelling the playing field for both small and large players will help the sector contribute close to 20-25% of annual growth.

  Source: AgroPages