The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has written to all Chief Ministers, urging immediate and firm action against the rising issue of counterfeit and substandard fertilizers across the country.
Highlighting the critical role of agriculture in India’s economy, the Minister stressed that ensuring timely, affordable, and quality fertilizers is key to stabilizing farmers’ incomes. Citing provisions under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985 and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the Minister outlined that selling substandard or fake fertilizers is strictly prohibited.
States have been instructed to monitor availability, prevent black marketing and forced tagging, and ensure rigorous sampling and testing. Legal action, including license cancellation and FIRs, must be pursued against offenders.
Additionally, farmers should be engaged through information systems and awareness campaigns. The Minister called for a statewide campaign in each region to eradicate fake inputs, backed by regular monitoring at the state level for sustained impact.