The agriculture department officials in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh have been conducting raids to combat the sale of unauthorized fertilizers and pesticides to farmers. The officials have seized fertilizers and pesticides worth Rs 1.5 crore in various regions of the district in the past week. The sale of unauthorized and low-quality pesticides at lower prices has been causing significant losses to farmers in the region.
District agriculture officer Venkateswarulu stated that several pesticide manufacturing companies and other firms sell their products along with others. Under regulations, these companies are required to renew their permissions after a certain period. As part of the general process, the officials are conducting raids and stopping the sale of products whose authorization has expired.
To ensure thorough inspections, five flying squads have been formed in Guntur city and throughout the district. In addition to conducting raids, the officials are also organizing awareness programmes to educate farmers about the importance of buying authorized fertilizers and pesticides from licensed shops. The district agriculture department has already distributed 47,000 metric tonnes of fertilizers to farmers, and 45,086 metric tonnes are currently available at RBKs.
Farmers are encouraged to book the fertilizers they require in advance at RBKs, and the authorities have made arrangements to supply more fertilizers if needed.
Farmers are also advised to be cautious while purchasing fertilizers and pesticides from unauthorized sources. Cheap and low-quality pesticides not only affect the quality of the produce but can also cause harm to the environment and human health. The authorities are taking strict actions against those found guilty of selling unauthorized products to farmers.
The district agriculture department is taking steps to ensure that farmers in the region have access to authorized and high-quality fertilizers and pesticides.
The raids and awareness programmes will help in creating awareness among farmers, and the availability of fertilizers at RBKs will ensure that farmers can obtain the necessary inputs for their crops.
