Legal Action Will Be Taken If Fertilizer Linking Is Found –

 Legal Action Will Be Taken If Fertilizer Linking Is Found

– Agriculture Minister Adv. Manikrao Kokate

 

Mumbai, May 2: Agriculture Minister Adv. Manikrao Kokate has directed immediate legal action in cases where any form of fertilizer “linking” (bundling with other products) is found.

 

A meeting was held at Sahyadri Guest House in the context of the fertilizer purchase strike called by 'MAFADA', the association of all wholesale and retail fertilizer sellers in the state. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department Vikaschandra Rastogi, Director of Agriculture Sunil Borkar, fertilizer suppliers and manufacturers, MAFADA members, and officials from the Agriculture Department.

 

Minister Kokate instructed that fertilizer sellers should not purchase any fertilizer that involves linking, and if forced to do so, they should report the matter to the Agriculture Department. He also ordered strict inspections at both taluka and district levels by the department.

 

Representatives of fertilizer manufacturing companies present in the meeting assured that they would not engage in any form of linking in the future. MAFADA expressed gratitude towards the minister, and the association officially announced the withdrawal of its purchase strike. MAFADA President Vinod Taral and Secretary Bipin Kasliwal presented the association’s concerns during the meeting.

 

Mr. Vinod Taral stated that the government should take strict action if companies continue linking fertilizers with other supplies. Representatives of the fertilizer producers and the Fertilizer Association of India, including Secretary D. Ramakrishna and Maharashtra Branch Representative Suresh Shete, explained the producers' stance. They also provided insights into the status of subsidized fertilizers and government policy promoting the use of organic, bio, and nano fertilizers to maintain soil fertility.

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