Categories of fertilizers, amendments, growing media, and assimilated products

Editorial note: Regulatory requirements can change. Confirm the current official texts and ONSSA instructions before filing or making a compliance decision.

In compliance with its scope, Moroccan legislation classifies products into several functional categories. Each category serves a specific agronomic purpose and establishes technical requirements for marketing authorization (AMM) or import control procedures.

Fertilizers

This category includes products whose primary function is to provide nutrients to plants or to improve their nutritional efficiency. These products can be any substance, mixture, or microorganism.

• Type of composition :
• Mineral Fertilizers: Major Elements: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K); Secondary elements: Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), chlorine (Cl), and sulfur (S); Trace elements: Boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), silicon (Si), and cobalt (Co).
• Organic Fertilizers: This subcategory includes products where nitrogen originates from animal or plant matter.
• Organo-Mineral Fertilizers: Mixtures of mineral elements and organic matter.
• Technical Expression: According to the Vizierial Order of 1942, the contents must be specified in terms of the weight of nitrogen (Az), phosphoric acid (P₂O₅), and potash (K₂O) in 100 kilograms of the delivered goods..

Amendments

Unlike fertilizers, soil amendments primarily affect the soil itself, modifying or improving its physical, chemical, or biological properties.

• Basic Mineral Amendments: These are used to correct soil acidity. Examples include lime (fat, semi-fat, or lean), limestone, dolomite, marl, and gypsum.
• Organic Amendments: These aim to improve soil structure and include compost and potting soil.

Biostimulants

These products stimulate the natural physiological processes of plants and soil independently of their own nutrient content. They facilitate nutrient uptake and reinforce crop resistance to abiotic stress, such as drought or salinity.

• Microbial Biostimulants: These are based on beneficial microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi.
• Non-microbial biostimulants: Seaweed extracts, amino acids (of animal or plant origin), and humic and fulvic acids.

Adjuvants for fertilizers

An adjuvant is any substance added to a fertilizer to modify its physical, chemical, or biological qualities.

• Examples: Wetting agents, surfactants, pH regulators, and volatilization retardants are generally added as an extemporaneous mixture.

Growing media

These materials serve as growth media for plants and mushrooms. They anchor absorbent organs, such as roots or the mycosphere, and allow them to come into contact with nutrient solutions.

• Mineral media: Perlite, vermiculite, and rock wool.
• Organic media: Peat (white or black), coco fiber, and pine bark.
• Mixed media: Potting soil mixtures.

Assimilated products

This category includes substances with fertilizing or amending value that are subject to a specific regime. According to Article 6 of Law No. 53-18, these products may be exempt from marketing authorization (AMM) if they comply with strict technical conditions:

• Materials of residual origin: Materials of plant or animal origin that are directly sourced from agricultural holdings (e.g., fresh manure) or non-agricultural establishments.
• Materials resulting from valorization: Materials from sewage sludge treatment (e.g., sludge) or waste treatment activities (e.g., compost of sorted waste), valued in accordance with health regulations in force.
• Raw organic matter: By-products obtained without chemical treatment and used as is for soil fertilization.