Lok Sabha Question No. 3502 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Establishment of Quality Testing Facilities
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICALS & PETROCHEMICALS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3502 ANSWERED ON 13/03/2026

## ESTABLISHMENT OF QUALITY TESTING FACILITIES

## 3502.  SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  growing  concerns  among  the  farming community regarding the quality and adulteration of pesticides and fertilizers being used for various crops, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether it is a fact that fertilizers with similar chemical composition are sold under multiple trade names with widely varying prices, leading to confusion and exploitation of farmers, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  regulate  such  trade  practices  and  ensure uniformity and transparency in branding and pricing of fertilizers and pesticides, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether  the Government  proposes  to  establish fertilizer quality testing laboratories in the country, State-wise, including a dedicated facility in Tirupati district,

Andhra Pradesh; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a) to (c): The manufacture, import, storage, sale, distribution and use of pesticides are regulated by the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971 made thereunder, which are being administered by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare through Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC). The CIB&RC registers pesticides for use in the country only after ensuring their safety and efficacy. This ensures safe and effective pesticides are available to farmers under the provision of the said Act. CIB&RC, while registering the pesticides stipulates that details of doses, crops, precautionary  measures,  antidotes  etc.  may  be  given  on  label  and  leaflets.  The  existing regulatory framework  under  Insecticides Act provides a systematic  mechanism  for evaluation  and  registration  of  pesticides  in  the  country.  Further,  the  Act  also  includes enforcement provisions.

In  order  to  ensure  supply  of  quality  fertilizers,  the  Department  of  Agriculture  & Farmers  Welfare  under  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  is  administering  the Fertilizer  (Inorganic,  Organic  or  Mixed)  Control  Order  (FCO),  1985  under  the  Essential Commodities  Act,  1955.  The  FCO  strictly  prohibits  the  manufacture/sale  of  fertilizer which  are  not  of  prescribed  standards.  The  FCO  also  regulates  pricing  of  fertilizers  to ensure equitable distribution and availability at fair prices to farmers. In addition, the FCO

also includes enforcement provisions. Further,  the  Government  of  India  has  implemented  One  Nation  One  Fertilizers (ONOF) scheme vide notification dated 24th August, 2022 by introducing Single Bharat brand  and  logo  for  fertilizers.  The  scheme  is  a  part  of  'Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna' which is an umbrella scheme for fertilizers subsidy. The objective of ONOF is to ensure that there is no confusion amongst farmers with respect to different brands  for  the  same  fertilizer.  Presently,  all  the  fertilizers  such  as  Urea,  Diammonium Phosphate, Muriate of Potash & NPK, are dispatched under the Bharat brand. (d)  to  (e): To  ensure  quality  of  fertilizers  in  the  country,  at  present,  there  are  84 Fertilizer  Quality  Control  Laboratories  notified  by  Central  and  State  governments,  under the  FCO.  Out  of  these,  4  laboratories  are  under  control  of  Central  Government.  These are Central Fertilizer Quality Control & Training Institute, located at Faridabad, Haryana; Navi  Mumbai,  Maharashtra;  Chennai,  Tamil  Nadu  and  Kalyani,  West  Bengal.  The remaining  80  laboratories  are  under  the  control  of  different  State  Governments.  In  case of Andhra Pradesh, the State Government  has notified Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratories at Anantpur, Bapatla and Tadepalligudam.

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