Govt to launch nation-wide action against spurious agriculture inputs: Shivraj Chouhan

Bhopal, Aug 17 (IANS) The Union Government will soon launch a nationwide campaign to crack down on fake and harmful agricultural inputs, including spurious pesticides, fertilisers, and seeds.

This decision comes in the wake of a major crop failure in Madhya Pradesh, where farmers have suffered heavy losses due to suspected faulty weedicide.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made a surprise visit on Sunday to the soyabean fields of Chhirkheda village in Raisen district, following complaints from farmers. Instead of healthy crops, he found burnt fields, dried plants, and widespread damage.

Farmers told the Minister that the destruction was caused by a weedicide produced by a private company. Surrounded by hundreds of farmers and Agriculture Department officials, Chouhan inspected the fields and took stock of the situation first-hand.

“This is not an isolated misfortune,” he declared. “The anguish of these farmers echoes across multiple districts. Their pain is our summons to act.”

With characteristic decisiveness, the Minister announced the formation of a high-level scientific inquiry to investigate the matter thoroughly and impartially.

On his directive, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) constituted a four-member committee to examine the affected fields.

The committee shall be chaired by Dr. J.S. Mishra, Director of ICAR’s Directorate of Weed Research (DWR), Jabalpur.

Joining him are Dr. S.R.K. Singh, Director of Attari Zone 9; the Deputy Director of Agriculture for Raisen-Vidisha; and the Head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Raisen.

This panel is scheduled to visit the site on 18 August and submit its findings forthwith. The minister addressing the assembled farmers, said: “When a farmer loses his crop, he loses a part of his life. Justice shall not be delayed. The company responsible will be held to account.”

He further dismissed the preliminary report submitted by the KVK Raisen scientist as inadequate, affirming that only a rigorous and transparent investigation would suffice.

Beyond the immediate crisis, the Minister promised to launch a nationwide campaign against the scourge of counterfeit agricultural inputs.

“We shall root out the menace of spurious pesticides, fertilisers, and seeds. Those who defraud our farmers shall face the full weight of the law,” he asserted.

--IANS

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