State agri dept report reveals widespread fertilisers black marketing

Pune: As farmers gear up for the kharif sowing season, one of the state’s largest enforcement drives against fertiliser irregularities has uncovered a troubling reality: a parallel economy built around black marketing. Hoarding and diversion of farm inputs continue to thrive despite repeated govt warnings and regulatory mechanisms.As per the state agriculture department’s report, authorities inspected as many as 16,169 fertiliser and agricultural input sale centres across Maharashtra till May-end. The drive resulted in 1,629 show-cause notices, suspension of 697 licences, cancellation of 55 licences and registration of 34 FIRs.The figures have raised serious concerns about the functioning of the state’s fertiliser distribution network, particularly at a time when farmers are preparing for sowing and depend heavily on timely availability of fertilisers. The inspections found black marketing to be the most widespread violation.“This action was taken before the beginning of the season to curb these practices at the village-level itself. The drive was across the state and strict action was also taken like registration of FIRs. And our aggresive drive will continue throughout the season,” Sunil Borkar, director of agriculture (quality control and inputs ), told TOI.According to agriculture department officials, black marketing typically spikes during the kharif season when demand for fertilisers such as urea, DAP and NPK complexes rises sharply across major agricultural regions across the state.Farmers’ organisations allege that some dealers exploit the supply-demand gaps by charging above prescribed rates or compelling cultivators to purchase additional products such as micronutrients, pesticides or growth promoters along with fertilisers.“Every year, the farmers complain about being forced to buy products they do not need. If they refuse, they are often told that fertiliser stocks are unavailable,” a farmer leader Anil Ghanwat from Ahilyanagar said.The crackdown also revealed extensive hoarding of fertilisers. Authorities issued 728 show-cause notices and suspended 271 licences after detecting irregular stock storage and inventory practices.Agriculture activists argue that hoarding is among the most damaging practices because it creates artificial shortages in rural markets during peak demand periods. “When fertilisers disappear from authorised outlets despite adequate supplies in the system, farmers are pushed into panic buying. Eventually they end up paying more than they should,” Shantaram Sarvade, who is working on agricultural issues in Western Maharashtra, said.Several farmer groups have alleged that such shortages become common in drought-prone regions like Marathwada, where farmers are already vulnerable due to erratic rainfall and rising cultivation costs. Apart from supply-related irregularities, authorities also detected cases involving sub-standard fertilisers.“A farmer may spend an entire season’s savings on inputs. If the fertiliser quality is compromised, the impact is reflected in lower yields, reduced income and growing indebtedness,” said agricultural university professor.