Karnataka BJP demands action against firms selling fake seeds, fertiliser

Hindustan Times

7 days ago

As farmers across the state staged protests over an alleged shortage of urea and reports of fake agricultural inputs surfaced, the state BJP on Sunday accused the Congress-led government of negligence and demanded immediate action against companies distributing counterfeit seeds and fertilisers. State BJP president BY Vijayendra alleged that the crisis was not the result of supply constraints but a consequence of poor planning by the state government (PTI)
State BJP president BY Vijayendra alleged that the crisis was not the result of supply constraints but a consequence of poor planning by the state government. He claimed that despite receiving sufficient quantities of urea from the Centre, the government had failed to ensure proper distribution, causing distress among farmers and panic in several districts.
'The efforts to trouble the food-providing farmers and exploit them within the system have been ongoing for a long time. Companies supplying fertilizers and seeds are engaging in the despicable act of sabotaging agricultural activities by providing fake seeds to the enthusiastic farming community that is expecting a good harvest in the backdrop of a promising monsoon this time,' Vijayendra said.
He demanded the registration of criminal cases against such firms and called for a dedicated police vigilance team to investigate and dismantle networks involved in deceiving farmers. 'I urge the government to file a criminal case against such companies in this regard and take strict action, and also to take all necessary measures to ensure that the farming community gets quality seeds and necessary fertilizers in a timely manner,' he added.
Vijayendra further said the BJP's farmers' wing would stage statewide protests on Monday to express solidarity with the farming community. According to him, the state received over 870,000 metric tonnes of urea from the Centre, but only around 530,000 metric tonnes had reached the market. He alleged that the remaining quantity was being hoarded by middlemen and traders, with the state government turning a blind eye.
'What about the rest? The fear is that somewhere there is some kind of hand-in-glove. Brokers and traders are keeping the stocks; it has to be released. The state government is trying to create an artificial shortage. This will not help farmers and that's the reason farmers are upset,' he said.
The BJP leader claimed the early arrival of the monsoon had worsened the situation. 'This time, mother nature has embraced the farmers through a good monsoon, I urge the government to take all possible precautionary measures to thwart any fraudulent attempts that may disrupt the farmers from enjoying its benefits,' Vijayendra said.
Agriculture minister N Chaluvarayaswamy, however, pushed back against the allegations, attributing the pressure on fertiliser supply to a combination of early monsoon and increased cultivation.
'The rains have been good for the past one and a half months. The monsoon arrived early, which has caused some challenges as the dams have filled up sooner than expected. Moreover, the area under cultivation has increased by two lakh hectares. Because of these factors, the demand for fertilizer has gone up. I have urged the chief minister to focus on addressing the farmers' issues instead of criticising them, and requested him to write a letter,' he said.
The minister said the global situation had also disrupted supply chains. 'I have already written to minister Pralhad Joshi regarding the disruption in urea supply due to the ongoing conflict in Iran. I've also sent letters to all MPs from the state and the Union ministers representing Karnataka. Yet, Joshi ignored these efforts and instead chose to target Siddaramaiah,' he said.
'I didn't expect them to politicise an issue as serious as agriculture. Fertilizer used to be supplied on time, and we had better stock last season. But currently, there are two or three issues at the central level. Due to the Iran conflict, urea supply has been disrupted, and shipments from China have completely stopped. National-level production is also low,' he said, insisting that the Centre must step up.
Chaluvarayaswamy sought to reassure farmers. 'I can criticise too, but that's not what matters right now. What's important is resolving the problems farmers are facing. Farmers need not worry. We will ensure they get whatever they need, whenever they need it. Everyone should remain calm. Even if there's a delay of two days, we'll make sure it's delivered by the third or fourth day,' he added.