The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has activated in Andalusia the General Register of Manufacturers and other Economic Agents of Fertilizer Products (Regfer), a tool with which it seeks to advance towards a more sustainable soil nutrition model and in line with European regulations. With this step, the Andalusian Government aims to strengthen the legal certainty of the sector, identify the operators acting in the market, improve the planning of official controls and facilitate the preparation of harmonized statistics at national and community level.
Since July of this year, all professionals who work with fertilizer products must register in this registry, whether in their manufacturing, import, distribution, or application. Service companies dedicated to applying these products in the field will also be obliged to do so.
In the case of natural persons who provide advice on fertilization, they will also have to register before practicing, although they have more leeway: it will not be essential to do so before July 2026. This is because the first legal requirements on technical advice will not come into force until January 1, 2027.
The registration in the Regfer will be carried out electronically and must be completed at least one month before starting the activity. To do this, the Junta de Andalucía has enabled on its website the necessary forms for registration, modification, or deregistration. Although the registry is framed within state regulations —which allows the identification number to be valid throughout the country—, its development corresponds to the autonomous communities, hence the Ministry has been responsible for implementing it in Andalusia.
This registry is based on the provisions of Royal Decree 1051/2022, which introduced a new common framework in Spain for the sustainable nutrition of agricultural soils. The regulation contemplates, among other measures, the creation of this registry and the incorporation of a specific section for fertilizers in the farm's exploitation notebook. It also establishes the minimum information that farmers must provide on the use of nutrients and the requirements that fertilization plans must meet, in addition to including common agricultural practices for the entire territory.
The use of fertilizers is key for agriculture due to their role in crop growth and productivity. Soils have a limited capacity to provide nutrients naturally, which is why these products allow for improved yield. Furthermore, they help replenish the elements that plants extract or that are lost through processes such as leaching or erosion.
Nevertheless, the authorities emphasize the importance of making responsible use of fertilizers. Proper fertilization not only maintains soil fertility and its agronomic value, but must also be carried out under sustainability criteria, seeking maximum efficiency and the least possible impact on the environment.
