Farmers Movement Archive

Govt warns fertilizer suppliers against forcing farmers to buy other products

Lucknow: In a significant pro-farmer move at the peak of the current Kharif crop cultivation season, the state government has decided to take legal action against fertilizer supplying agencies who force the wholesale stockists to buy products other than essential Urea and Di-ammonium Phosphate. In a missive sent to all district magistrates, additional chief secretary (agriculture), Devesh Chaturvedi said a strong vigil is needed on such agencies which compel the stockist to buy less used fertilizers and other products. The letter dated July 29 mentions initiating legal action if the imposed compulsion is found to be true. Officials said that the otherwise rampant practice is being carried out by tagging lesser known products along with the crucial fertilizers stocks for being passed on to the gullible farmers. UP government’s move to step up vigilance measures vis-à-vis sale of fertilizers to farmers comes amid hard stance of farmer pressure groups like Sanyukt Kisan Morcha — comprising Rakesh Tikait-led Bhartiya Kisan Union — threatening to hold demonstrations across UP before organising a Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on September 5 on a host of farmer-related issues. The department has also issued instructions to invoke essential commodities Act, and fertilizer (control) order to penalise stockists allegedly engaged in hoarding of fertilizers to create an artificial shortage. Chaturvedi said that as per rules, fertilizers need to be provided to farmers in a controlled manner and as per requirement so that it could be evenly distributed. The agriculture department has further instructed for selling of fertilizers with the help of point of sale (PoS) machines. At the same time, stocks are physically verified with the ones sold through the PoS machines. Chaturvedi said that teams comprising officials of the agriculture, cooperative and rural development be deployed at various centres to ensure a seamless distribution of fertilizers.

The Times of India

2021-07-31

Lucknow