The Central Government has authorised 17 Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) manufacturers to sell Fermented Organic Manure (FOM) and Liquid Fermented Organic Manure (LFOM) in bulk directly to farmers. The approval, granted under the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order, 1985, will remain valid for three years.
This move comes as part of the Centre’s efforts to recognize organic by-products from CBG plants as fertilizers. With this notification issued by the Ministry of Agriculture on July 8, 2025, these 17 manufacturers can now commercially supply FOM and LFOM, which are rich in nutrients and serve as organic carbon enhancers.
Of the 17 approved plants, eight are associated with the Reliance Group. The approved facilities are spread across Gujarat (3), Haryana (3), Punjab (3), Uttar Pradesh (5), Maharashtra (2), and Rajasthan (1).
Earlier, on March 8, 2025, the government had given a similar green light to seven companies to market their FOM and LFOM products to farmers. The latest notification expands this initiative, further enabling the utilisation of bio-slurry from CBG plants.
The decision follows a series of amendments to the Fertilizer Control Order. On March 27, 2025, the government officially classified FOM and LFOM as “Organic Carbon Enhancers” and laid down quality standards for them. Before that, on February 17, 2025, a new Schedule VIII was introduced to define organic carbon enhancers derived from CBG plant operations as fertilizers.
By granting these approvals, the government aims to boost the circular economy around CBG, offer an income stream to biogas operators, and promote eco-friendly farming practices through the widespread use of organic inputs.