DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 760 
Second  Edition  
2017 -mm-dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 760: 2017 
© UNBS 2017   
  
Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) fertilizer grade — 
Specification  
 DUS 760: 2017  
ii © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users a re 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2017   
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Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 760:2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  1 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4.2 Chemical requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  1 
4.3 Heavy metal contamination  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
5 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
6 Weights and Measures regulations  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 2 
7 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  2 
8 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  3 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  4 
 DUS 760: 2017  
iv © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Uganda National Bur eau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade , Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327 , of the Laws of Uganda , as amended .  UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Org anisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT  Agreement  of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carr ied out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of key stakeholders 
including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
This Draft Uganda Standard has been developed as a result of a need to provide guidance to industry in 
production and regulation of Inorganic fertilizers . 
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee  UNBS/TC 2, Food and agriculture , 
Subcommittee SC 2 0, Agrochemicals and veterinary drugs . 
This second  edition cancels and replaces the first e dition  (US 760:2017 ), which has been technically revised.  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 760:2017  
 
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  1 
 Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) fertilizer — 
Specification  
1 Scope   
This Draft Uganda Standard specifies  the re quirements,  sampling  and test methods for potassium chloride 
(muria te of potash), fertilizer  
2 Normative references   
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that so me or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
ISO 17319 , Fertilizers and  soil conditioners — Determination of water -soluble potassium content — 
Potassium tetraphenylborate gravimetric method  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this standard, the definitions given in ISO 8157, Fertilizers and soil 
conditioners ─Vocabulary  shall apply . 
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
a) Potassium chloride fe rtilizer shall be in the form of free flowing and non -caking granules or crystalline 
powder and shall be free from visible impurities.  
b) The particle size (sieve analysis) of potassium chloride fertilizer, when determined in accordance with 
ISO 8397, shall b e such that  
i) Granules . A minimum of 90  % (m/m) shall pass through a 3. 35 mm sieve and be retained on a 1.00 
mm sieve.  
ii) Crystalline powder . Not less than 65% of material shall pass through a 1. 7 mm sieve and be 
retained on a 0.25 mm sieve.  
4.2 Chemical  requirements  
The fertilizer shall conform to the requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the methods 
specified therein.   
2 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 Table 1 — Chemical requirements for potassium chloride, fertilizer grade  
Characteristic  Requirement  Method of tes t 
Potash content  (as K 2O) % m/m, min  60.0 ISO 17319  
Sodium co ntent (as NaCl ) % m/m, dry basis, max  3.5 AOAC 983.04  
Moisture %  m/m, max  1.5 AOAC 950.01  
 
4.3 Heavy metal contamination  
When tested in accordance with the methods specified therein, the heav y metal contaminants shall not 
exceed those indicated in Table 2  
Table 2 — Limits for heavy metal contaminants  
Metal  Maximum limits,  
mg/kg  Test methods  
Arsenic  20 
ISO 17318  Cadmium  7 
Mercury  0.1 
Lead  30 
Chromium  500 
 
5 Packaging  
Potassium chlori de fertilizer shall be packaged in materials that ensure the product integrity and quality and 
protect it against physical damage, chemical and moisture contamination.  
6 Weights and Measures regulations  
The fill of the package shall comply with the weight s and measures act  
7 Labelling  
The following information shall be clearly and indelibly marked  in English  on each package or container : 
a) name of the fertilizer as  “Potassium chloride or mur iate of Potash ”; 
b) name, address and physical location of manufacture r/packer/importer ; 
c) minimum potash content as K in percentage by mass ; 
d) date of manufacture;  
e) expiry date ;  
f) batch/lot number ; DUS 760: 2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  3 
 g) the net weight of the fertilizer in the package; in metric units ; 
h) storage and h andling instructions ; 
i) instructions  for use ; 
j) disposal i nstructions  and; 
k) country of origin.  
8 Sampling  
Sampling shal l be done in accordance with ISO 8633 and ISO 8634   
4 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] US 760: 2007, Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) fertilizer  — Specification  
[2] FAO Mineral fertilizer Specifications 2010   
[4] Agricultural Chemicals (Control) Act, 2006 (Act No.1 of 2007)  
[5] The Fertilizer Control Regulations, 2010  
 DUS 760: 2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  5 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Ma rk shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bu reau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervision, control a nd testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 DUS 760: 2017    
 
ICS 65.080.  
Price based on nn pages  
© UNBS 2017– All rights reserved