Srinagar, Mar 01: Jammu Kashmir Kisan Tehreek Wednesday expressed concern over presence of substandard fertilizers and pesticides in markets and said that the practice is a threat to Kashmir’s apple industry.
Ghulam Nabi Malik, Senior Leader Jammu Kashmir Kisan Tehreek said over the years the substandard fertilizers and pesticides are seen in the market which is a threat to the apple industry.
“Even today substandard fertilizers, pesticides are seen in markets. It is a huge network. The season has started. This is a serious issue the farmers are facing,” he said.
Director Law Enforcement J&K, Iqbal Singh said the department has instructed enforcement officers of all the districts to review the overall working of the law enforcement agency.
“There are no fertilizer manufacturing units in Kashmir or Jammu. Mostly it comes from outside. There should be no compromise on it. We initiate strict action according to law against the retailers if found selling fertilizers, pesticides without following the proper procedure,” he said.
Singh said the department takes regular samples from markets to do quality checks of the fertilizers and pesticides. “We also have a testing lab at Lal Mandi. If any sample is found substandard then we do the reanalysis outside J&K at another lab to cross-check it,” he said.
He said in 2022, some 24 samples of organic fertilizers were found substandard and action was initiated. “Our aim is to ensure the availability of quality insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers to the farmers through proper sales outlets well in time,” he added.
Malik said little efforts are being made by the administration to check the quality of pesticides and fertilizers before these are sold in the market.
“The fertilizer companies continue to resort to unethical practices and supply sub-standard fertilizers to earn more profit which should be viewed seriously,” he said.
Malik said he has seen that many orchardists in the past have suffered damage in fruits after spraying spurious pesticides in orchards.
He also said that the lackadaisical response of the concerned agencies to check this menace has left the peasant community angry. “Apple is our livelihood. In the previous season apple growers in Kashmir have already suffered huge losses,” he said.
He said the government should take measures to further improve the system to ensure that sub-standard fertilizers and pesticides are not supplied to the end users.
“On-the-spot sample collection should be done and regular inspections should also be conducted in order to put checks on it,” Malik said.
