India: Government to Roll Out Regulatory Guidelines for Biostimulants
The Indian government will announce guidelines to regulate the Rs 1,500 crore market of biostimulants that promise farmers higher yields, quality, and other benefits from the use of various compounds and microorganisms, reports Rituraj Tiwari at The Economic Times.
Unlike fertilizers and pesticides, these products are not regulated and are sold without a certification of their efficacy, officials said. The government will set up a regulatory body for such products, officials said.
“Framing of rules is in final stages. As per the proposed guidelines, biostimulants will have to be first registered with government and have to prove efficacy before hitting in the market. Proper labeling will have to be done including name of manufacturers, ingredients and expiry date,” said a senior agriculture ministry official.
The need for a regulatory body has arisen as many companies have started manufacturing biostimulants without any authentic formulation, the official added. “Farmers are getting cheated as there is no authority to authenticate the efficacy of the growth stimulants. The regulatory body will ensure farmers get genuine products which help in improving yield per hectare,” he said.
Continue reading at The Economic Times.
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