Pulwama, Jan 02 : In an early morning raid on Tuesday, Director Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Kashmir along with a team of enforcement officials seized a huge quantity of spurious fertiliser in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district from a supplier.
Director Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Kashmir, Chaudhry Mohammed Iqbal, told Rising Kashmir that around 400 bags of spurious fertilizer, calcium chloride, have been seized from a fertiliser shop in Mirhama area of Kulgam.
“We received information about the unregistered supplier in Kulgam yesterday evening and our field staff traced the shop immediately,” he said, adding that along with district officials of the enforcement wing they raided the shop early morning on Tuesday.
He added that 75 quintals of spurious fertilisers packed in 400 bags have been seized.
The Director Agriculture vowed strict action against the persons dealing in illegal sale of spurious and substandard fertilisers and pesticides.
“Our responsibility is to expose these persons dealing in illegal trade of pesticides or fertilisers and bring them before law so that they get punished for their wrongdoings,” he said.
As per officials the enforcement wing of agriculture department has been activated which led to seizure of spurious and substandard fertilisers from different districts across Kashmir during past couple of weeks.
A day ago around 220 bags of spurious fertilizer were seized during a raid in Saidapora area of Spore. Similarly, on 13 December 2023, Director Agriculture Production and Farmers welfare seized 200 quintals of organic fertilizer from South Kashmir’s Shopian district.
The Director said that they generate inputs on the basis of which action against erring shopkeepers and dealers has been going and it will continue in the future.
“No one is above the law and those dealing in illegal trade of fertilisers or pesticides will be taken to task,” he said, adding that their department will facilitate genuine traders but will not spare wrong doers.
The Director sought cooperation from civil society particularly youth in the fight against spurious fertilisers and pesticides.
He urged youth to support them in exposing the persons dealing in illegal sale of spurious and substandard fertilisers causing harm to the agriculture industry in Kashmir.
