The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has notified new provisions relating to nano fertilizers through the Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) (Control) (Second) Amendment Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
As per the notification, manufacturers seeking authorization for nano fertilizers must submit bio-toxicity or safety data generated by Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) laboratories or laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Biotechnology.
The amendment inserts a new Clause 20DA in the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, empowering the Central Government to notify specifications for nano fertilizers for a period not exceeding five years.
For approval, applicants must submit reports of multi-location and multi-crop trials covering at least ten crops for two seasons in three agro-climatic zones, conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research or State Agricultural Universities.
Manufacturers are also required to provide package-of-practice leaflets, safety guidance to farmers, and batch-wise test reports from NABL-accredited laboratories before distribution of nano fertilizers.