Mumbai: Agriculture minister Dhananjay Munde on Wednesday assured the members of Maharashtra legislature that a strict legislation will be brought in against distribution of substandard seeds and fertilisers in the state.
Munde said that notices have been served to companies involved and a state-level dashboard will soon be developed to ensure good quality fertilisers and seeds for farmers. “If this doesn’t work, a strict legislation will be brought in to completely stop such acts,” Munde told the assembly while replying to questions about inspections being stopped in Nagpur. Munde also narrated various measures taken to ensure quality of farm inputs.
Fertiliser companies looting farmers
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole said that fertiliser and seed companies are looting farmers across the state. “They are being cheated by big companies with bogus seeds. The agriculture department has a network across the state, but the government does not seem to be able to rein in such companies,” Patole said, adding that crops don’t grow well, or at all, with bogus seeds but farmers’ complaints are not being registered, which many a time leads to suicides.
Spurious seeds and fertilizers destroy farmers
Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat pointed out the flaws in the government system and said there is no point in taking action against small distributors and that the government needs to ensure strict action against the big companies who make them.
