IMMA Seeks Centralised Licensing for Fertilisers

New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) Indian Micro Fertilisers Manufacturers Association (IMMA) on Monday called for centralised licensing and national guidelines to accelerate nationwide marketing of micronutrient fertilisers.

While the overall regulatory framework falls under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) of the Essential Commodities Act at the central level, manufacturers must obtain licences and certificates from agricultural or fertiliser control authorities in each state where they plan to sell or produce.

The multi-state approval requirement is cumbersome and time-consuming as each state has its own licensing process and timelines, according to IMMA President Rahul Mirchandani.

"There is a need to unify and simplify this approval procedure to reduce delays and administrative burden, allowing for faster nationwide marketing of micronutrient fertilisers," Mirchandani told PTI.

Micronutrient fertilisers address deficits of key nutrients such as zinc, boron and iron in agricultural crops.

"Obsolete state notified grades hinder innovation in the micronutrient fertiliser sector. It is time to shift from static formulations to dynamic frameworks," Mirchandani said.

"A centralised licensing and analytical validation is the need of the hour."

IMMA proposes a single digital licensing portal where companies can upload formulations and label claims, submit analytical methods for each product and receive time-bound approvals.

The system would ensure companies are responsible for label claims and performance, traceability of ingredients and batch data, while giving farmers access to relevant and updated solutions.

State-notified grades for micronutrients have become outdated, with the most recent notifications in many cases dating back over a decade and in some states over two to three decades, Mirchandani said.

IMMA suggested broad national guidelines similar to water-soluble fertiliser regulations that specify minimum and maximum permissible limits for each nutrient across micronutrient blends.

Within these limits, manufacturers should be allowed to design formulations aligned to regional soil health reports, weather trends, cropping systems and emerging nutrient deficiencies.

IMMA also said there is no need to regulate micronutrient fertilisers under the Essential Commodities Act as there is no food shortage and these products are not government-subsidised.

The association called for sector reforms with faster approval of innovative micronutrient grades developed to address climate change challenges.