G/TBT/N/UGA/1731  
23 January  2023 
(23-0487) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UGANDA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
Plot 2 -12 ByPass Link, Bweyogerere Industrial and Business Park  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala, Uganda  
Tel: +(256) 4 1733 3250/1/2  
Fax: +(256) 4 1428 6123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Website: https://www.unbs.go.ug  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Animal or 
vegetable fertilisers, whether or not mixed together or chemically treated; fertilisers 
produced by the mixing or chemical treatment of animal or vegetable products (excl. 
those in pellet or similar forms, or in packages with a gross weight of <= 10 kg) (HS 
code(s): 3101); Fertilizers (ICS code(s): 65.080)  
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  DUS 1584:2023, 
Organic Fertilizer — Specification, Second edition; (24 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This Draft Uganda Standard specifies requirements, sampling 
and test methods for organic fertilizers.  
Organic fertilizers are naturally available mineral sources that contain moderate amount 
of plant essential nutrients. They are capable of mitigating problems associated with 
synthetic fertilizers. They reduce the necessity of repeated application of synth etic 
fertilizers to maintain soil fertility.  
Organic fertilizers comprise a variety of plant -derived materials that range from fresh or 
dried plant material to animal manures and litters to agricultural by -products. The nutrient 
content of organic fertiliz ers varies greatly among source materials, and readily 
biodegradable materials make better nutrient sources. Nitrogen and phosphorus content 
is lower, often substantially lower, in organic fertilizers compared to chemical fertilizers.  
Commonly used organic  fertilizers include composted animal manure, compost, sewage 
sludge, food processing wastes, and municipal biosolids. They improve soil health and 
release nutrients to soils gradually. Examples of naturally occurring organic fertilizers G/TBT/N/UGA/1731  
 
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  include manure, sl urry, worm castings, peat, seaweed and guano. Green manure crops 
are also grown to add nutrients to the soil. Naturally, occurring minerals such as mine 
rock phosphate, sulfate of potash and limestone are also considered as Organic Fertilizers. 
Examples of  manufactured organic fertilizers include compost, blood meal, bone meal and 
seaweed extracts. Other examples are natural enzyme digested proteins, fishmeal, and 
feather meal.  
Organic fertilizers are considered an excellent source of nutrients, providing p lants with 
vital vitamins, and soil acts as a medium between crops and fertilizers. Fertilizers can be 
divided into several types, depending on their components, shape, and various other 
properties.  
Meat and bone meal is an industrial by -product obtained b y treating animal carcasses 
with heat, removing the fat, and finally drying and mincing them. Due to the high levels 
of total nitrogen (8%), phosphorus (5%), and calcium (10%) in meat and bone meal, 
these organic matters can be considered as useful fertili zers for soil improvement.  
Manure is an organic fertilizer used for soil fertilization after animal waste decomposes 
due to bacteria and fungi. Composting manure takes a relatively long time. This 
decomposed manure is later used in agriculture to increase and promote soil productivity. 
Well-decomposed manure contains N (0.5%), P2O5 (0.3%), and K2O (0.5%). Manure is 
used as a fertilizer, improves soil productivity by providing practically all the elements 
needed by plants, but not always in the righ t amounts, and proportions. Slurry and solid 
manure are traditionally spread directly on the soil surface as fertilizers.  
Organic fertilizers are an alternative to minimize the environmental pollution that may be 
due to excessive use of inorganic fertilize rs. 
Liquid fertiliser contains nutrient compounds that could be applied as plant enhancer and 
are used in foliar application, as it does not require soil medium and environmentally 
friendly. An organic liquid fertilizer can be produced from bio -wastes comp osting as it 
contains more organic nutrients that are essential to promote healthy plant growth.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The objective of this standard is to ensure that organic fertilizers on the 
market are appropriately tested through the quality criteria provided while ensuring that 
farmers obtain only certified products and as well aid the industry in the manufacture of 
quality organic fertilizers. This standard will also promote the safe us e of organic fertilizers 
and promote fair trade.; Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive 
practices and consumer protection; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of 
animal or plant life or health; Protection of the environment;  Quality requirements; 
Reducing trade barriers and facilitating trade; Cost saving and productivity enhancement  
8. Relevant documents:   
1. G/TBT/N/UGA/609  
2. AOAC 2006.03, Arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, lead, molybdenum, nickel, 
and selenium in fertilizers — Microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma -
optical emission spectrometry  
3. US ISO 4831, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method 
for the detection and enumeration of coliforms — Most probable number 
technique  
4. ISO 5318, Fertilizers — Determination of potassium content — Potassium 
tetraphenylborate gravimetric method (Reference method)  
5. US ISO 6598, Fertilizers — Determination of phosphorus content — Quinoline 
phosphomolybdate gravimetric method  
6. US ISO 7251, Microb iology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method 
for the detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most 
probable number technique  
7. US ISO 7899 -2, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of intestinal 
enterococci — Part 2: Mem brane filtration method  G/TBT/N/UGA/1731  
 
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  8. US ISO 8157, Fertilizers and soil conditioners — Vocabulary  
9. US ISO 8633, Solid fertilizers — Simple sampling method for small lots  
10. US ISO 8634, Solid fertilizers — sampling plan for the evaluation of a large 
delivery  
11. US ISO 10390, S oil quality — Determination of pH  
12. US ISO 10694, Soil quality — Determination of organic and total carbon after dry 
combustion (elementary analysis)  
13. US ISO 11047, Soil quality — Determination of cadmium, chromium, cobalt, 
copper, lead, manganese, nickel and  zinc — Flame and electro thermal atomic 
absorption spectrometric methods  
14. US ISO 11261, Soil quality — Determination of total nitrogen — Modified Kjeldahl 
method  
15. US ISO 11265, Soil quality — Determination of the specific electrical conductivity  
16. US ISO 1146 5, Soil quality — Determination of dry matter and water content on 
a mass basis — Gravimetric method  
17. ISO 14255, Soil quality — Determination of nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen 
and total soluble nitrogen in air -dry soils using calcium chloride solution as 
extractant  
18. ISO 14820 -1, Fertilizers and liming materials — sampling and sample preparation 
— Part 1: Sampling  
19. ISO 14820 -2, Fertilizers and liming materials — sampling and sample preparation 
— Part 2: Sample preparation  
20. US ISO 17318, Fertilizers and soil  conditioners— Determination of arsenic, 
cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury contents  
21. US ISO 17319, Fertilizers and soil conditioners —Determination of water -soluble 
potassium content — Potassium tetraphenylborate gravimetric method 
Complimentary  
22. PNS/BAFPS 40: 2013, Organic Fertilizer  
23. PNS 85:1984/AMD 01:1992 — Fertilizers — Solid Fertilizer — Method of Sampling  
24. PNS 95:1987 — Packaging — Bags for Solid Fertilizers — Specification  
25. PNS 1033:1993 — Fertilizers — Marking — Presentation and  Declaration  
26. ARS 1490 -2020 (E), Organic fertilizer – Specification  
27. KS 2290: 2011, Organic fertilizer -Specification  
28. Guidelines and Standards for Compost in Zanzibar, Sonia Devi Henam and Swati 
Singh Sambyal  
29. TBS/AFDC 10 (5440) P3, Organic fertilizer — Specification  
30. Sri Lanka Standard 1704: 2021, Specification for Sterilized Solid Organic Fertilizer  
31. TAS 9503 -2005, Compost  
32. Composting Of Faecal Sludge as a Soil Conditioner, Yvonne Lugali, January 2019  
33. Published in The Gazette Of India, Extraor dinary, Part Ii, Section 3, Sub -Section 
(ii)] Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, (Department of Agriculture and 
Cooperation) Order, New Delhi, the 15th February, 2013  
34. Agricultural Chemicals (Control) Act, 2006 (Act No.1 of 2007)  
35. The Fertilizer C ontrol Regulations, 2010  
36. Russell, S and L. Best. 2006. Setting the standards for compost. BioCycle. Journal 
of Composting and Organics Recycling. United Kingdom  G/TBT/N/UGA/1731  
 
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  37. Fertilizer Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines or "Bluebook"  
38. FFTC International Wor kshop. 1997. Quality Control of Organic Fertilizers 
(Compost). Suweon, Korea. June23 -28, 1997.  
39. Lazcano C, M. Gomez -Brandon, J. Dominguez. Comparison of the effectiveness of 
composting and vermicomposting for the biological stabilization of cattle manure. 
Chemosphere 72 (2008) 1013 — 1019.  
40. Lemunier, M, C. Francou, S. Rousseaux, S. Houot, P. Dantigny, P. Piveteau, and 
J. Guzzo. 2005. Long -term survival of pathogenic and sanitation indicator bacteria 
in experimental biowaste composts. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.7 1(10): 5779 -5786.  
41. Ang-Lopez M. 2001. Quality and Maturation of Vermicompost Derived from 
Different Feedstocks. MSc. Thesis. Nova Scotia Agricultural College/ Dalhousie 
University. Nova Scotia, Canada.  
42. Avery, DT. 2002. The Hidden Dangers in Organic Food. Ce nter for Global Food 
Issues - California Organic Fertilizers, Inc. www.organicag.com.  
43. DUS 1584: 2023  
44. Characterization of Liquid Fertilizer from Different Types of Bio -Waste Compost 
and its Correlation with the Compost Nutrients  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  June 2023  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
Plot 2 -12 ByPass Link, Bweyogerere Industrial and Business Park  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala, Uganda  
Tel: +(256) 4 1733 3250/1/2  
Fax: +(256) 4 1428 6123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Website: https://www.unbs.go.ug  
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