Question : SUPPLY OF SPURIOUS FERTIIZERS



(a) whether attention of the Union Government has been drawn to supply of spurious fertilizers in the country, particulary in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh:

(b) If so, the details therefor; and

(c) the action taken by the Government in this regard ?

Answer given by the minister


THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI SRIKANT KUMAR KJENA )

(a) to (c) : No, Madam. The sale, manufacturing etc. of fertilizers are regulated under the provisions of Fertilizer (Contgrol) Order (FCO) 1985, an order kunder the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The specifications of various fertilzers have been laid down in Schedule of FCO, 1985. The order prohibits manufacture and sale of fertilzers, which are not of prescribed standard.

The inspection of quality is a continous process. There are 68 fertilzer quality control laboratories in the country to test the quality of fertiozers inclduing the four laboratories of the Government of India namelyt Central Fertilizer Quality Control and Training Institute at Faridabad and three regional laboratoirs at Bombay, Kalyani and Chennai. The State Governments are the enforcement agencies and are adequately empowered to take appropriate action against the offenders in terms of provisions contained in FCO, 1985 including for violation, if any in the quality of fertilizers.

No complaints of manufacturing of sub-standard fertilizers have been repored to the Government of India in the Department of Fertilizers (DOF) in the recent past.