Govt Withdraws Approval for 11 Animal-Based Crop Biostimulants on Religious Grounds

The Agriculture Ministry has withdrawn approval granted for 11 biostimulants derived from animal sources, citing ethical and religious concerns raised by Hindu and Jain communities, a senior official said on Friday.

The products, made from animal-based protein hydrolysate, were previously cleared for use on crops, including paddy, chilli, tomato, cotton, cucumber, soybean, grapes and green gram, based on approval from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) earlier this year.

"These 11 biostimulants were approved earlier and were selling in the market. They are now withheld due to ethical, religious, and dietary concerns raised by different stakeholders," ICAR Director General ML Jat told PTI.

The biostimulants will remain suspended until proper pre-harvest interval data is generated, when the products are used as foliar spray, he said.

"Earlier, approval was given purely based on technical clearance in terms of high yields," Jat added.

Biostimulants are regulated under India's Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985, which has undergone several amendments through 2025 to establish a structured regulatory framework.

The amendments require manufacturers and importers to register biostimulants, submit scientific efficacy and safety data, and comply with testing protocols, including multi-dose field trials, toxicity and chemical analysis.

Only products approved in Schedule VI of the FCO can be manufactured, imported or marketed legally.

Provisional registrations were phased out by mid-2025, enforcing permanent registration compliance.