Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has ordered officials to take strict action against companies manufacturing counterfeit pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, and seeds.
This directive follows Chouhan’s visit to the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, where he assessed the damage to soybean crops caused by fake herbicide. He assured local farmers that the companies responsible for this will not be spared.
In response to the minister’s instructions, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has immediately formed an inquiry committee to investigate the instances of crop damage. The committee is led by the Director of ICAR's Directorate of Weed Research (DWR), Jabalpur, Dr JS Mishra, and includes Dr SRK Singh, Director of Attari Zone 9, along with the Deputy Director of Agriculture for the Raisen-Vidisha district and the head of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
During his inspection, Chouhan observed that instead of soybeans, weeds had grown in the fields and the entire crop had been burnt. Farmers alleged that this was a result of using a spurious herbicide.
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"This problem is not limited to just one field, but many farmers have made such complaints,” Chouhan said. “A high-level team of scientists will inspect the affected fields, and strict action will be taken against the guilty company after the investigation. Farmers will get relief, and the company will be held responsible.” The minister also clarified that a previous report from a scientist at KVK Raisen was incorrect, which is why a new team has been dispatched to investigate.
Later, in a high-level meeting with ICAR officials in Delhi, Chouhan urged them to take the crop damage very seriously. He stated that if a sample fails, action should be taken. “We have noticed that not one but hundreds of farmers are getting troubled, and we understand their pain,” he said. He added that state governments have been asked to handle the matter with “full sensitivity.”
Chouhan also announced that the government will conduct large-scale surprise raids on factories and shops, with any irregularities resulting in the sealing of the premises. He further instructed officials to listen to farmers' complaints and resolve them as quickly as possible.
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