In a major crackdown on the supply of counterfeit agricultural inputs, Agriculture Department seized a large quantity of material used for manufacturing fake DAP fertiliser during a surprise raid in Karondi village of Patan block. The action was carried out under the directions of Collector Raghavendra Singh as part of an ongoing district-wide inspection drive to ensure the availability of quality fertilisers, seeds and pesticides to farmers. According to Deputy Director of Agriculture Umesh Kumar Katare, the raid was led by Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Dr Indira Tripathi, along with senior agriculture officers Pankaj Srivastava and Pankaj Sharma. During the search at the residence of Bahadur Singh Rajput near the 14 Mile area in Karondi village, officials recovered 61 bags of granular material, 100 empty sacks and 56 empty DAP fertiliser bags bearing the branding of Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL). Officials suspect that the granular material was being used to manufacture counterfeit DAP fertiliser while the empty bags appeared to have been locally printed with the branding and logo of the reputed fertiliser company.

 

A weighing scale and 31 filled PPL-labelled fertiliser bags, suspected to contain fake DAP, were also seized. All the recovered material was confiscated after preparing a formal seizure report. The inspection team also searched Vishnu Varah Krishi Kendra, owned by Bahadur Singh Rajput. During the inspection, officials seized 42 bottles of Imidacloprid, 50 bottles of Hexaconazole, 300 bottles of Attain and 48 bottles of Thiophanate-Methyl pesticides, which were being sold without the required principal certificates and the pesticide warehouse has been sealed. Agriculture Department has started a detailed investigation into the suspected fake fertiliser operation. Officials warned that strict legal action will be taken under the Fertiliser Control Order and other relevant laws against anyone found involved in supplying counterfeit agricultural inputs. Farmers have been advised to purchase fertilisers and pesticides only from authorised dealers and immediately report any suspicious activities to the Agriculture Department.