After getting information that black marketing of fertilizers is going on in various parts of the State, Agriculture Minister, Badal on Friday said that the State Government will take immediate action to stop it and it will not be tolerated in any case. He assured the issue will be resolved in a day or two.
Farmers were already troubled by the lockdown implemented in the State due to the Corona crisis and during the time of crisis the high price of urea and lack of pesticides in the farming season has added more woes in their life. All this is happening due to the arbitrariness of wholesalers and the farmers are paying more than Rs 84 to Rs 94 for a pack of urea.
Reacting quickly on the issue, Badal said that the information regarding the black marketing of fertilizers during the farming season is very serious and the department directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all the Districts to take stern action if the cases are happening in their area. The department also directed to the Agriculture Secretary to constitute a task force to prevent such kinds of cases, he added.
The Minister appealed to the farmers that they can inform him through any proper means of information regarding black-marketing of farmers, the issue will be quickly taken in cognizance and the department will take stern action against the blackmarketeers.
"It is a very serious issue and at any cost it will not be tolerated because on the one hand the farmers are already facing a lot of problems due to the global epidemic COVID-19. The department will go to any extent to prevent such kind of incidence in the State," said Badal.
Media reports have suggested that the MRP of a 45 kg bag of urea is Rs 266.50, whereas, Rs 350 to Rs 360 are being charged per farmer from one pack. Retail shoppers are crying foul and accusing that when the wholesaler is giving them expensive Urea, what they can do? According to the retail shopkeepers, they have to pay Rs 300 to Rs 320 for a pack of Urea from the wholesalers. The fare for transporting the packs from the warehouse to the shop has to be paid separately, in such a situation, the price increase is inevitable.
The problem of farmers does not end here. For the last 10 days, the pesticides Rogar and Eklux have also been missing from the market. In order to kill small insects, Eklux is required for spray in vegetables' plants. Farmers allege that the artificial shortage of these pesticides is being shown in the market right now. While later they will be sold at a higher price.
