G/TBT/N/PAK/175  
9 February 2021  
(21-1086) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  PAKISTAN   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority  
WTO TBT National Enquiry Point  
PSQCA Complex, Gulistan -e-Johar  
Karachi, Pakistan  
Tel.: (+92) 21 99261878  
E-mail: tbt@psqca.com.pk   
Website: http://www.psqca.com.pk/  
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 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Bio 
Fertilizers PS: 5330  ; Fertilizers (ICS 65.080)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Bio Fertilizers 
PS: 5330 ICS No. 65.080 (14 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This Pakistan Standard was adopted by Pak istan Standards & 
Quality Control Authority on 26 -11-2014, after the draft finalized by the Fertilizers and 
Allied Product Technical Committee and approved by the National Standards Committee 
for Chemical Division.  
Biofertilizers (BF) are popularizing fast across globe as environment friendly agricultural 
input to increase fertilizers/nutrients use efficiency, improve crop productivity and 
maintain soil fertility. Formulations of BF are based on beneficial microorganisms or 
metabolites of m icrobes that support plant growth through variety of mechanisms such 
as N 2-fixation; solubilization and mobilization of plant nutrients; phytohormone 
production; siderophore production; chitinase and ACC -deaminase activity. P solubilizing 
bacteria based bi ofertilizers increase bioavailability of P present in soil and applied by 
fertilizers; N 2-fixers improve N nutrition of plants; Zn solubilizers improve Zn availability 
to plants; siderophore producers enhance Fe bioavailability and phytohormone producers 
directly play vital role in plant growth. Beneficial microorganisms based Biofertilizers have 
multiple simultaneous impact on increasing nutrients bioavailability and boosting plant 
growth. Environmental friendly biofertilizers have great potential to play significant role 
in optimizing farmer economics, achieving food security and improving crop productivity 
in alkaline soils and harsher climatic conditions of Pakistan. Biofertilizers generally consist 
of living organisms that survive on organic carriers th us need special criteria for 
formulations, use and shelf life.  G/TBT/N/PAK/175  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  This standard provides requirement and testing protocols for Biofertilizers.  
The material is known as Biof ertilizer.  Quality and environmental requirements . 
8. Relevant documents:   
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AylmLZnWAG20Yor0dM1ws72uFKTQp1yF/view?usp=sh
aring 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  90 days after circulation by the WTO Secretariat  
Proposed date of entry into force:  90 days after circulation by the WTO Secretariat  
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:   
Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority  
WTO TBT National Enquiry Point  
PSQCA Complex, Gulistan -e-Johar   
Karachi, Pakistan  
Tel.: (+92) 21 99261878  
E-mail: tbt@psqca.com.pk   
Website: http://www.psqca.com.pk/  
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A3Xrx3gwLmqdSecIZS -
1EPlFxmR74wCv/view?usp=sharing  
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_v8fnRJSNcOLlPOTIWAOwh22epBcyTpt/view?usp=shar
ing