DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 1584  
Second  Edition  
2023-mm-dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 202 3  
  
Organic Fertilizer  — Specification  DUS 1584 : 2023 
ii © UN BS 2023 – 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 are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2023  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
The Executive Director  
Uganda  National Bureau of Standards  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala  
Uganda  
Tel: +256 41 7 333 2 50/1/2 
Fax: +256 41 4 286 123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 1584:202 3 
© UNBS 202 3 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
3 Term s and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
4 Description  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
5 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  4 
5.1 Raw materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  4 
5.2 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  5 
5.3 Specific Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  6 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  7 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  8 
8 Weights and measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  8 
9 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 9 
10 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  9 
10.1  Required information on the label  ................................ ................................ ..............................  9 
10.2  Other labelling requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 9 
10.2.1  Testimonials/Endorsements  ................................ ..........................  Error! Bookmark not defined.  
10.2.2  Other claims  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 9 
10.2.3  Nutrient guarantees  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  10 
10.2.4  Directions for use  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  10 
10.2.5  Miscellaneous terms  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  10 
10.2.3  Slowly available plant nutrients  ................................ ................................ ................................  10 
10.2.4  Low leaching potential  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  10 
11 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 10 
11.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  10 
11.2  Sampling fo r solid organic fertilizers  ................................ ................................ .......................  10 
11.3  Sampling for liquid organic fertilizers  ................................ ................................ ......................  10 
11.3.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  10 
11.3.2  Procedure for composite sampling  ................................ ................................ ..........................  11 
11.3.3  Sample preparation for laboratory analysis for organic liquid fertilizers  ............................  11 
Annex  A (normative)  Annex title  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  12 
Annex  B (informative)  List of restricted and prohibited raw materials as inputs for organic 
fertilizer production  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  13 
B.1 General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  13 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  14 
 DUS 1584 : 2023 
iv © UN BS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives (MTIC)  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 Organisation 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 Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)  Agreement  of the World Trade Organisation 
(WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical Committee 
is established to deliberate o n 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 stakehol ders 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.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technica l Committee UNBS /TC 222, Agrochemicals and 
Veterinary Drugs  
This second  edition cancels and replaces the first edition ( US 1584 :2017 ), which has been technically revised.  
This revision was undertaken to revise the moisture content  in the Table 1 for Specific requirements for organic 
fertilizer . The revision was also under taken to address the specific requirements for the organic fertilizers  and 
test methods  
 DUS 1584:202 3 
© UNBS 202 3 – All rights reserved  v 
 Introduction  
The crop removes large quantity of plant nutrients from soil, particularly the removal of NPK nutrients with the 
present level of crop production .  Due to this, there is no addition of the nutrients into the soil thus resulting in 
depletion of the nutrient reserve of soil.  The excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers and the neglig ence shown 
to the conservation and use of organic sources of nutrients have not only caused the exhaustion of soil of its 
nutrient reserves but also resulted in soil health problems not conducive to achieving consistent increase in 
agricultural production.  
Organic fertilizers are natural products used by farmers to provide food (plant nutrients) for the crop plants. 
Organic fertilizers contain plant - or animal -based materials that are either a by -product or end -product of 
naturally occurring processes, such  as animal manure and composted organic materials. There are a number 
of organic manures like farmyard manure, green manures, compost prepared from crop residues and other farm 
wastes, vermicompost, oil cakes, and biological wastes - animal bones, slaughte rhouse  refuse . Natural mineral 
deposits include but not limited to phosphate rock, green  sand, Epsom salt, calcium, limestone flour.  
Organic fertilizers increase the organic matter content in the soil. Living microorganisms in turn decompose the 
organic matter into the final  stages of humus  and in turn  humus releases the plant food in available form for use 
by the crops. However, organic manures should not be seen only as carriers of plant food. These manures a lso 
enable a soil to hold more water and help to improve the drainage in clay soils. In addition,  generally improve 
the soil texture and structure. They provide organic acids that help to dissolve soil nutrients from the rock particle 
sand and make them av ailable for plants growth.  
Organic fertilizers are of two types: solid and liquid organic fertilizers. Liquid organic fertilizers are concentrated 
liquids that are added to water and applied to the soil and/ or foliage. Liquid organic fertilizers provide s oluble 
and easily available nutrient to the crops. Furthermore, they give plant nutrient in a faster -acting form than solid 
fertilizer. Liquid organic fertilizers consist of primary nutrient and may contain beneficial microorganisms and/or 
micronutrients . 
Organic fertilizers are needed to maintain soil fertility. However, the improper use of organic fertilizers poses a 
risk of soil contamination. The amount of macro - and micronutrients involved in soil, plant, and food chain 
processes (precipitation, adsorp tion, and chelation) should be taken into account when considering the use of 
fertilizers. In this context, the use of organic fertilizers from municipal waste and organic waste from dairy, 
poultry, pigs, or horticultural activities can have a high environ mental value and can be used to improve and 
maintain soil fertili ty. However, there are concerns on the quality and safety of this product to both humans and 
the environment.  
 
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 1584: 202 3 
 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  1 
 Organic Fertilizers  — Specification  
1 Scope   
This Working Draft Uganda Standard specifies requirements, sampling and  test methods for organic fertilizers . 
2 Normative references   
The following referenced documents referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirem ents 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.  
AOAC 2006.03, Arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, lead, molybdenum, nicke l, and selenium in fertilizers — 
Microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma -optical emission spectrometry  
US ISO 4831, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of coliforms — Most probable  number technique  
ISO 5318, Fertilizers — Determination of potassium content — Potassiu m tetraphenylborate gravimetric method 
(Reference method ) 
US ISO 6598, Fertilizers — Determination of phosphorus content — Quinoline phosphomolybdate gravimetric 
method  
US ISO 7251 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
US ISO 7899 -2, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of intestinal entero cocci — Part 2: Membrane 
filtration method  
US ISO 8157, Fertilizers and soil conditioners — Vocabulary  
US ISO 8633, Solid fertilizers — Simple sampling method for small lots  
US ISO 8634, Solid fertilizers — sampling  plan for the evaluation of a large deliv ery 
US ISO 10390, Soil quality — Determination of pH  
US ISO 10694, Soil quality — Determination of organic and total carbon after dry combustion (elementary 
analysis)  
US ISO 11047, Soil quality — Determination of cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, ma nganese, nickel  
and zinc — Flame and electro thermal atomic absorption spectrometric methods  
US ISO 11261, Soil quality — Determination of total nitrogen — Modified Kjeldahl method  
US ISO 11265, Soil quality — Determination of the specific electrical condu ctivity   
2 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 US ISO 11465, Soil quality — Determination of dry matter and water conten t on a mass basis — Gravimetric 
method  
ISO 14255, Soil quality — Determination of nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen and total soluble nitrogen in 
air-dry soils using calcium  chloride solution as extractant  
ISO 14820 -1, Fertilizers and liming materials — sampling and sample preparation — Part 1: Sampling  
ISO 14820 -2, Fertilizers and liming materials — sampling and sample preparation — Part 2: Sample preparation  
US ISO 17318, Fertilizers and soil conditioners — Determination of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and  
mercury contents  
US ISO 17319, Fertilizers and soil conditioners —Determination of water -soluble potassium conte nt — 
Potassium tetraphenylborate gravimetric method Comp limentary   
 
 3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions 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  
3.1  
organic fertilizer  
any product in solid or liquid form, of plant (except by -products from petroleum industries) or animal origin that 
has undergone substantial decomposition that can supply available nutrients to plants. This may be enriched 
by microbial inoculants and naturally occurring minerals but no chemical or inorganic fertilizer material has been  
added to the finished product to affect the nutrient content  
3.2  
microbial inocul ant 
biologically active living cells containing optimum population of one or a combination of active strains of bacteria, 
algae and fungi that are useful in different biological activities, such as but not limited to: nitrogen fixation, 
decomposition of or ganic residues and enhancement of nutrient availability  
3.3  
Natural mineral fertilizer  
mineral nutrients include phosphate rock, greensand, Epsom salt, calcium, limestone flour and many other 
natural mineral deposits .Materials that are directly mined fro m mineral deposits and only subjected to physical 
processes such as crushing and drying.  Examples of these materials may include:  phosphate rock; gypsum; 
sulphate of potassium -magnesia that has been derived from ores that have been crushed, washed in wate r, 
dried and screened  
3.4  
biosolids  
organic material from sewage and related materials recycled and treated for use as a fertilizer  
3.5  
Green manure  
plants which are mainly succulent and leafy legume crop which are grown for a short duration and then ploughed 
in the same field and incorporated by ploughing  DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  3 
 3.6  
Compost  
Well decomposed organic wastes like plant residues, animal dung and urine , earth from livestock sheds or 
waste fodder  
3.7  
Vermicomposting  
type of compost making in which earthworms are used to convert organic wastes into valuable materials to 
supply nutrients for crops  
3.8  
Bone meal  
fertilizer made from degreased bone which may be degelatinized and has been ground or crushed  
3.9  
guano  
well decomposed accumulated and mined excrements of  birds, bats and seals valued as fertilizers  
3.10  
fish emulsion fertilizer  
a partially decomposed blend of finely pulverized fish  
3.11  
blood meal  
dried, powdered blood collected from livestock slaughter houses used as fertilizer  
3.12  
farmyard manure  
decomposed mixture of livestock dung and urine with straws and litter used as bedding material and residues 
from the fodder fed to livestock  
3.13 
night soil  
human urine and faeces collected separately from each other or mixed with flush water and amendments such 
as soil, ash and other organic matter  
3.14  
soil conditioner  
organic material added to soils to improve the physical and/ or chemical properties, and/  or the biological activity 
of soils without a declarable content of nutrients  
3.15 
liquid organic fertilizers  
any product in liquid form, of plant (except by-products  from petroleum industries) or animal origin, which has 
undergone substantial decomposition that can supply available nutrients to plants. This may be enriched by 
microbial inoculants and naturally occurring minerals  
3.16  
liquid form  
suspension and/or a s olution, where a suspension is a two -phase dispersion in which solid particles are 
maintained in suspension in the liquid phase, and a solution is a liquid that is free of solid particles, or a gel and 
includes pastes  
NOTE:  
The suspension should be solubil ized after further dilution   
4 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 3.17  
raw manure  
undecomposed animal excreta used to fertilize the land  
4 Description  
Organic fertilizers are naturally available mineral sources that contain moderate amount of plant essential 
nutrients. They are capable of mit igating problems associated with synthetic fertilizers. They reduce the 
necessity of repeated application of synthetic 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 fertilizers varies greatly 
among source materials, and readily biodegradable materials make better nutrient sources. Nitrogen and 
phosphorus content i s 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 healt h and release nutrients to soils gradually. 
Examples of naturally occurring organic fertilizers include manure, slurry, worm castings, peat, seaweed and 
guano. Green manure crops are also grown to add nutrients to the soil. Naturally, occurring minerals su ch 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 prot eins, fishmeal, and feather meal.  
Organic fertilizers are considered an excellent source of nutrients, providing plants with vital vitamins, and soil 
acts as a medium between crops and fertilizers. Fertilizers can be divided into several types, depending o n their 
components, shape, and various other properties.  
Meat and bone meal is an industrial by -product obtained by treating animal carcasses with  heat, removing the 
fat, and finally drying and mincing them.  Due to the high levels of total nitrogen (8%), p hosphorus (5%), and 
calcium (10%) in meat and bone meal, these organic matters can be considered as useful fertilizers 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 right 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 fertilizers.  
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 composting as it contains more organic nutrients that are essential to promote healthy 
plant growth . 
5 Requirements  
5.1 Raw mater ials 
5.1.1  Raw materials used for production of organic fertilizer shall include:  
a) farm animal manure, slurry, and urine;  
b) vermi compost;  DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  5 
 c) compost produced from organic residues;  
d) green manure and green leaf manure;  
e) Azolla;  
f) mulches from sugar cane trash, straw , etc.;  
g) kitchen waste;  
h) coir pith, plantation by -products and wastes  
i) mushroom beds;  
j) oil cakes, milled by -products, etc.;  
k) tea/coffee grounds;  
l) fish and fish products without preservatives;  
m) meat and bone meal  
n) seaweed;  
o) crop residues (straw, peanut hulls, etc.);   
p) natural mineral deposits and 
q) plant growth promoting microbes such as, Rhizobia, Mychorrizae and others of non -genetically modified 
origin (GMO).  
 
5.1.2 Those restricted as listed in Annex B should be used after having undergone recommended treatment 
or quality control.  
5.1.3 Those prohibited  as listed in Annex B should not be used  under any circumstances . 
5.2 General requirements  
5.2.1 Organic fertilizers shall : 
a) be free from foul odour;  
b) not contain substances that are likely to be detrimental or injurious  to vegetation, animals, public 
health or the environment when used according to the directions p rovided by the manufacturer;  
c) not contain substances that would, when applied in amounts commonly used or as specified in the 
directions for use, leave in the t issues of a plant, a residue of a  poisonous or harmful substance;  
d) homogenous in texture ; 
e) free from contaminants which include but not limited to residual hormones, antibiotics, pesticides 
and disease organism ; 
f) Raw manures shall not be used as pre  plant or side dress fertilizers on vegetables that are eaten 
raw;  
6 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 g) Untreated dog, cat or pig manures and those derived from equines (donkey and horse family)shall 
not be used as these species share many parasites with humans ; and  
h) Raw manure may not  be applied to foo d crops within 120 days of harvest where edible portions 
have soil contact . 
5.2.2 Organic fertilizer in solid form shall be : 
a) fine enough for 100 % thereof to pass through a 5 -mm standard sieve ; 
b) For organic fertilizer with microbial inoculants, the genus sh all be verifiable  by the competent 
Authority  as natural source and be indicated on the label ; 
c) No chemical or inorganic materials should be added to organic fertilizers ; 
d) be fully composited during which the compost shall be turned at least once ; 
e) be based on  composted livestock and/or plant materials supplemented with only natural products ; 
and  
f) Raw manure may NOT be applied to food crops within 90 days of harvest where edible portions do 
not have soil contact (i.e., grain crops, and most tree fruits.) contaminants . 
5.2.3 Organic fertilizer in liquid  form shall be : 
a)  biodegradable ; 
b) not contain any artificial colours ; 
c) not contain substances that are likely to be harmful or injurious to vegetation, animals, soil health, 
public health or the environment when  used according to its intend use specified by the label ; and  
d) not contain any poisonous residues, when applied in amounts commonly used or as specified in 
the directions for use . 
5.3 Specific Requirements  
5.3.1  Organic fertilizer shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with 
the methods specified therein . 
Table  1 — Specific requirements for organic fertilizers  
S/N  Characteristic  Limit  Test method  
i.  Total NPK, %  5 - 7  ISO 11261  
ISO 6598  
ISO 5318  
ii.  C:N  12:1 - 15:1  -  
iii.  Soluble salts (conductivity), mmhos/cm, max.  5  ISO 11265  
iv.  Total nitrogen, % m/m, min.  1  ISO 11261  
v.  Organic carbon, % m/m, min.  12  ISO 10694  
vi.  Moisture content (solid organic fertilizer), %, m/m   10-30  ISO 11465  DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  7 
 vii.  Dry matter content (solid), %, m/m, min  70 ISO 11465  
viii.  pH  6.0 - 10.0  ISO 10390  
ix.  Stones >5 mm size, % m/m, max  5  
x.  Seed, number/kg, max  5  
 
5.3.2  Liquid Organic fertilizer s shall comply with t he requirements given in Table 2  when tested in accordance 
with the methods specified therein . 
Table  2 — Specific requirements for liquid organic fertilizers  
 
S/N  Characteristic  Limit  Test method  
i.  Total NPK, %  2  ISO 11261  
ISO 6598  
ISO 5318  
ii.  Electrical conductivity, dS/m, max .  20  ISO 11265  
iii.  Total nitrogen, % m/m, min.  1  ISO 11261  
iv.  Organic carbon, % m/m, min.  5  ISO 10694  
v.  pH  6.0-8.5 ISO 10390  
vi.  Total Potassium content as K 2O, % m/m , min.  0.5 ISO 5318  
vii.  Total Phosphorus content as P 2O5, % m/m , min  0.5 ISO 6598  
 
6 Hygiene  
Organic fertilizers  shall comply with the limits for microorganisms specified in Table 3 when tested in accordance 
with the methods specified therein . 
Table  3 — Microbiological limits for organic fertilizer  
S/N  microorganisms  Limit  Test method  
i.  Total coliforms, cfu/g  5 x 102  US ISO 4831  
ii.  Salmonella in 25 g fresh mass  Absent  AOAC 967.26  
US ISO 6579 -1 
iii.  Escherichia coli cfu/g Absent  US ISO 7251  
iv.  Enterococci cfu/g  Absent  US ISO 7899 -2   
8 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 v.  Faecal streptococci cfu/g  <500  - 
 
7 Contaminants  
7.1 The maximum limits for heavy metal contaminants in organic fertilizer shall comply with the requirements 
given in Table 4 when tested in accordance with the methods specified therein . 
Table  4 — Heavy metal  limits for organic fertilizer  
S/N  Heavy Metal   mg/kg dry wt.  Test method  
i.  Arsenic (As)  10 ISO 17318   
AOAC 2006.03  ii.  Lead (Pb)  100  
iii.  Mercury (Hg)  2  
iv.  Cadmium (Cd)  5  
v.  Chromium(Cr)  50 
vi.  Copper(Cu)  300 ISO 11047  
 
7.2 The maximum limits for heavy metal contaminants in liquid organic fertilizer s shall comply with the 
requirements given in Table 5 when tested in accordance with the methods specified therein . 
Table  5 — Heavy metal  limits for organic fertilizer  
S/N  Heavy Metal   mg/kg dry wt.   Test method  
i.  Arsenic (As)  0.5 ISO 17318   
AOAC 2006.03  ii.  Lead (Pb)  1.0  
iii.  Mercury (Hg)  0.5   
iv.  Cadmium (Cd)  0.5  
v.  Chromium(Cr)  0.5 
 
8 Weights and measures  
The weight and volume of the package of the product shall comply with the Weights and Measures Act . DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  9 
 9 Packaging  
The containers, including packaging materials, used to package organic fertilizers shall be made only of 
materials, which are safe and suitable for their intended uses. They shall not impart any toxic substance or 
undesirable odour or flavour to the product.  
10 Labelling  
10.1 Required inform ation on the label  
In addition to the requirements in US EAS 38, the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall 
be legibly and indelibly marked : 
a) name of the product as “Organic fertilizer”;  
b) active ingredient shall appear in close proxi mity to the name of the product by specifying the genus and 
species of microbial inoculants;  
c) name and physical address of manufacturer/producer, exporter, packer or distributor;  
d) type of carrier;  
e) batch or code number;  
f) crops for which it is intended;  
g) storage  instructions;  
h) disposal instructions;  
i) date of manufacture;  
j) expiry date;  
k) net content in metric units;  
l) nutrient content  
m) product registration number;  
n) risk warning  
o) rate of application;  
p) directions/instructions for use; and  
q) country of origin.  
 
10.2 Other labelli ng requirements  
10.2. 1 Other claims  
Any reference to the activity of a product containing plant nutrients that is not generally associated with its 
nutritional value shall be substantiated with statistically significant efficacy data derived from field tri als.  
10 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 10.2. 2 Nutrient guarant ees 
Any reference to the activity of a product containing plant nutrients that is not generally associated with its 
nutritional value shall be substantiated with statistically significant efficacy data derived from field trials . 
10.2. 3 Directions for use  
10.2. 3.1 All organic  fertilizers shall carry instructions for use. These instructions shall specify both the rate 
and time and frequency of application based on the growth stage and crop. Suggested rates of application shall 
provide an adequate quantity of nutrients to the plants concerned . 
10.2. 3.2 Where the product does not contain all three major plant nutrients, the label should carry a 
statement indicating that some plants may require an additional source of the nutrient(s) t hat are lacking . 
10.2. 3.3 Any product containing composted materials or plant nutrients may represent a potential hazard 
when misused. In order to avoid giving the impression that reasonable precautions are unnecessary, blanket 
statements suggesting that the product is completely safe and non -toxic to humans, animals or the environment 
shall not appear on the label . 
10.2. 4 Miscellaneous terms  
10.2. 4.1 Words, such as balanced and healthy, shall be avoided,  as they are often misunderstood and 
consequently mi sleading . 
10.2. 4.2 Also objectionable and comparatives such as best, superior, and greener, shall be avoided as they 
imply a comparison without indicating the basis of this comparison . 
10.2. 5 Slowly available plant nutrients  
Only products providing at least 70 % of a plant nutrient in a slowly available form may indicate this on the label. 
Such a claim shall be accompanied by the associated guarantee.  
10.2. 6 Low leaching potential  
Only products containing at least 70 % of a nutrient in a slowly availabl e form may indicate that nutrient will be 
slowly available and thus unlikely to leach when used in accordance with label instructions.  
11 Sampling  
11.1 General  
a) If the consignment is declared to consist of different batches of manufacture, containers of the  same 
batch shall be grouped together and each group so formed shall constitute a separate lot ; and  
b) Samples shall be tested from each lot for ascertaining conformity to the requirements of this standard . 
11.2 Sampling for solid organic fertilizers  
Samplin g shall be done in accordance with ISO 8633 and ISO 8634 . 
11.3 Sampling for liquid organic fertilizers  
11.3.1  General  
All finished liquid products shall be subjected to lot sampling for laboratory analysis in accordance with Table 5:  DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  11 
 Table  3 — Contaminant limits for organic fertilizer  
S/No  Number of containers* 
per batch   Containers to be sampled   
i.  <50 1 
ii.  51 to 100  2 
iii.  101 to 300  3 
iv.  301 to 500  4  
v.  More than 500  5 
NOTE 1 container = 1 L  
11.3.2 Procedure for composite sampling  
11.3.2 .1 Present to the inspector and any Authorised person the production documents containing the 
number of containers per batch number and container number . 
11.3.2 .2 The inspector  and / or Authorised person  shall randomly select the container number and subject 
the selected containers for analysis . 
11.3.2 .3 Information relative to the sample taken shall be accurate and complete to allow traceability of the 
sample back to the lot from which it was sampled . 
NOTE if the samples analysed  do not conform to the standar ds, the Certification Body should review the production process, 
which  may include bulk sampling . 
11.3.3  Sample preparation for laboratory analysis for organic liquid fertilizers  
11.3.3 .1 For liquid fertilizers without suspended particles, stir the sample until it is thoroughly mixed, before 
taking a sample . 
11.3.3 .2 For liquid fertilizers with suspended particles, take a sample while mixing the material in order to 
obtain a representative sample . 
  
12 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Annex title  
 DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  13 
 Annex  B 
(informative)  
 
List of restricted and prohibited raw materials as inputs for organic 
fertilizer production  
B.1 General  
S/N  Input  Status  Limitations/Rationale  
1.  Raw / undecomposed human excrement, 
including urine  P  Risk of contamination  
2.  Sewage sludge  R  Only sludge from farms/bio -digesters is 
allowed  
3.  Saw dust, bark, wood chips, wood ash  R  Wood not chemically treated after felling  
4.  Blood meal, bone, and other meal brought in 
from other sources  R  Origin of materials should be disease - free and 
without preservatives  
5.  Guano  R  Concerns on environmental sustainability - rate 
of extraction is subject to regulations  
6.  Segregated biodegradable market waste  R  Has undergone proper segregation, and does 
not contain hazardous materials  
7.  Sedimentary rocks (limestone, dolomite, rock 
phosphate)  R  May contain elevated levels of trace elements. 
Detailed chemical analysis is necessary.  
8.  Igneous rocks (andesite, ba salt, gabbro, 
diorite)  R  May contain elevated levels of trace elements. 
Detailed chemical analysis is necessary.  
9.  Metamorphic rocks (slate, schist)  R  May contain elevated levels of trace elements. 
Detailed chemical analysis is necessary.  
NOTE1 If in case there are raw materials not listed in this Standard, the requirements of the National Organic Agriculture St andards shall be followed  
NOTE 2 P and R stands for prohibited and restricted respective  
 
 
  
14 © UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] PNS/BAFPS 40: 2013,  Organic Fertilizer  
[2] PNS 85:1984/AMD 01:1992 — Fertilizers — Solid Fertilizer — Method of Sampling  
[3] PNS 95:1987 — Packaging — Bags for Solid Fertilizers — Specification  
[4] PNS 1033:1993 — Fertilizers — Marking — Presentation and Declaration  
[5] ARS 1490 -2020 (E), Organic fertilizer – Specification  
[6] KS 2290: 2011, Organic fertilizer -Specification  
[7] Guidelines and Standards for Compost in Zanzibar , Sonia Devi Henam and Swati Singh Sambyal  
[8] TBS/AFDC 10 (5440) P3, Organic fertilizer — Specificati on 
[9] Sri Lanka Standard 1704: 2021, Specification for Sterilized Solid Organic Fertilizer  
[10] TAS 9503 -2005, Compost  
[11] Composting Of Faecal Sludge as a Soil Conditioner , Yvonne Lugali, January 2019  
[12] Published in The Gazette Of India, Extraordinar y, 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  
[13] Agricultural Chemicals (Control) Act, 2006 (Act No.1 of 2007)  
[14] The Fertili zer Control Regulations, 2010  
[15] Russell, S and L. Best. 2006. Setting the standards for compost. BioCycle. Journal of Composting and 
Organics Recycling. United Kingdom  
[16] Fertilizer Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines or "Bluebook"  
[17] FFTC International Workshop. 1997. Quality Control of Organic Fertilizers (Compost). Suweon, Korea. 
June23 -28, 1997.  
[18] Lazcano C, M. Gomez -Brandon, J. Dominguez. Comparison of the effectiveness of composting and 
vermicomposting for the biological stabiliz ation of cattle manure. Chemosphere 72 (2008) 1013 — 1019.  
[19] 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 compos ts. Appl. 
Environ. Microbiol.71(10): 5779 -5786.  
 [20] Ang-Lopez M. 2001. Quality and Maturation of Vermicompost Derived from Different Feedstocks. MSc. 
Thesis. Nova Scotia Agricultural College/ Dalhousie University. Nova Scotia, Canada . 
[21] Avery, DT. 2002. The Hidden Dangers in Organic Food. Center for Global Food Issues - California 
Organic Fertilizers, Inc. www.organicag.com . 
 DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  15 
 [22] Characterization of Liquid Fertilizer from Different Types of  Bio-Waste Compost and its Correlation with 
the Compost  Nutrients   
 Nur Farzana Ahmad Sanadia, Chew Tin Leea,*, Mohammad Roji Sarmidib  Jiří Jaromír Klemešc, Zhenjia 
Zhangd . 
 
 
 
 
 
 DUS  1584: 202 3 
© UNBS 2023 – All rights reserved  17 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) 
Certification Mark 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 use d only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by the 
Uganda National Bureau 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 t he goods comply with the requirements 
of that standard under a system of supervision, control and 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 1584: 202 3   
 
ICS 65.080  
Price based on 13 pages  
© UNBS 2023– All rights reserved