Ban on sale of fertilizer-seed lots with substandard samples

Raipur. As per the instructions of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, the Agriculture Department is keeping special vigil on the quality of chemical fertilizers, seeds and plant protection medicines in the state. District level officers of the Agriculture Department are continuously raiding their respective areas and taking samples of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, which are being tested in the quality control laboratory. So far in the Kharif season 2024, 71 samples of seeds and 18 samples of chemical fertilizers and 19 samples of plant protection medicines have been found substandard in the state, along with banning the sale of their lots with immediate effect, the Agriculture Department has issued notices to the concerned firms.

According to the information received from the Additional Director Agriculture, the target is to take 5000 samples of seeds, 3700 samples of fertilizers and 777 samples of plant protection medicines in the Kharif season 2024. So far, 4631 samples of seeds have been taken by the team of departmental officers, which have been sent to the laboratory for testing. In the test, 4119 samples have been found to be of standard level and 71 of non-standard level, while 441 samples are still in the process of testing.

Similarly, for checking the quality of chemical fertilizers, 2638 samples have been collected from various institutions by the fertilizer inspectors of the Agriculture Department and sent to the laboratory for testing. In the report received so far, 896 samples have been found to be of standard level and 18 of non-standard level. 1664 samples are still in the process of testing, while 60 samples have been rejected due to certain reasons. Along with banning the sale of non-standard seeds and fertilizer lots by the department, show cause notices have also been issued to the concerned institutions. The team of the Agriculture Department is also continuously checking the quality of pesticides. The investigation team has so far taken a total of 286 samples from various firms, out of which 167 samples were found to be of standard level and 3 were found to be substandard. 86 samples are still under the process of investigation, while 14 samples have been rejected due to certain reasons.