Centre withdraws approval for animal protein-based biostimulants citing religious, dietary concerns
_vb_67.jpeg)
New Delhi: The Union Agriculture Ministry has reportedly withdrawn approval for 11 biostimulants derived from animal sources, including chicken feathers, pig tissue, bovine hide, and cod scales, just months after clearing them for agricultural use.
The decision followed complaints made to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s office by “individuals” from the Hindu and Jain communities, as reported by The Indian Express on Friday.
Biostimulants is a substance or microorganism, or a combination of both, that enhance plant health and productivity by improving nutrient uptake, growth, and resistance to stress. Unlike fertilisers or pesticides, they neither supply nutrients directly nor control pests.
The Centre’s decision is directed at one of the most common types of biostimulants: protein hydrolysate, which is a mixture of amino acids and peptides formed by breaking down proteins. They comprise different doses used for green gram, tomato, chilli, cotton, cucumber, hot pepper, soybean, grapes and paddy. The animal sources they rely on include bovine hide, hair and tanned skin; chicken feathers; pig tissue; skin, bones and scales of cod; and, a variety of sardine, added the report.
Biostimulants are commonly sold across the counter in liquid form and sprayed on crops.
These biostimulants were added to Schedule VI of the Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) (Control) Order (FCO), 1985, through separate notifications earlier this year after the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) cleared them.
ICAR Director-General Mangi Lal Jat clarified that permission for these animal source-based biostimulants had been “withheld”. “No new category of biostimulants, which were not already in the market, were recommended for marketing. However, to avoid ethical issues and conflict with religious and dietary restrictions, biostimulants having protein hydrolysates derived from animal sources notified in the FCO were withheld till proper pre-harvest interval data (time between spraying and harvesting) is generated when the biostimulant is used as foliar spray (direct application on leaves),” TIE quoted Jat as saying.
India’s biostimulants market, valued at US$ 355.53 million in 2024, is projected to grow to US$ 1,135.96 million by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights. Leading companies in India’s biostimulant sector reportedly include Coromandel International, Syngenta, and Godrej Agrovet.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Former minister C M Ibrahim announces to launch new regional party for Karnataka
Kalaburagi: Two years after being expelled from the Janata Dal (Secular), former minister C.M. Ibrahim has announced that he will launch a new regional political party in Karnataka on January 24, reported Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Andolana in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Ibrahim confirmed the birth of the new party.
The 77-year-old politician stated he would soon be meeting with other like-minded individuals to choose a symbol for the party.
ALSO READ: Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Ibrahim emphasised that the organisation would be guided by the principles of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
A veteran politician, Ibrahim served as Union Civil Aviation Minister during the tenure of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and later headed the Karnataka unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was expelled from the JD(S) in 2023 on charges of anti-party activities.
His exit from the party followed sharp differences over the JD(S) decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the then state president of the JD(S), Ibrahim had publicly criticised the alliance, claiming it was finalised without his knowledge. He had also reportedly convened meetings of his supporters and expressed support for the INDIA bloc.
