JAIPUR: In a late-night crackdown, Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena raided two fertilizer factories in Bikaner’s Kolayat area, seizing 64, 000 bags of counterfeit fertilizer and ordering both units to be sealed.
He termed the operation a major step against fertilizer adulteration that is damaging farmland and cheating farmers.
According to officials, the seized fertilizer was mixed with soil and supplied not only to several districts of Rajasthan, but also to Nepal.
“Such adulteration is making cultivable land barren. This is nothing short of a conspiracy against farmers, ” the Minister said after the raid.
The raid started at around 10 p.m. on Sunday, when Minister Meena arrived at the Naal Bypass and called Joint Director of Agriculture, Madan Lal, along with other officials.
The team first raided a factory in Gangapura village, Gajner police station area, where 24, 000 bags of spurious fertilizer were seized. Later, the team moved to another factory located three km from Sankhla Phanta in Kolayat, where 40, 000 bags were recovered.
In total, 64, 000 bags containing soil-mixed fertilizer were confiscated.