Agri-input dealers continue strike
Infuriated over changes to the Seeds and Pesticide Acts, fertiliser, pesticide and seed traders, who are on a week-long strike across the state, continued their strike for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.
Calling it anti-business, the traders served an ultimatum of a week to the government to either cancel or amend the new Acts.
However, on Monday evening, a faction of dealers announced the withdrawal of the strike, citing assurances given by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, but the traders claimed that nobody has withdrawn the strike and it would continue as per schedule. The strike was announced on Sunday during a meeting in Kurukshetra.
In Karnal, traders held a meeting at Karnal Club, which was chaired by Ram Kumar Gupta, president of District Karnal Fertiliser, Pesticide and Seed Trader Association. He claimed that the strike would continue till the fulfilment of their demands. “Nobody has called off the strike. It was just a rumour. We are on strike and it will continue as per schedule,” said Gupta.
He termed these laws as “black laws” imposed by the state government. Gupta strongly objected to two recent government orders that have significantly increased the penalties for selling substandard agricultural inputs. “As per the new law, if any seed or pesticide is found to be substandard, the penalty has been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, and the offence has been made non-bailable. This is completely unfair to our trade,” he said.
He emphasised that traders only sell sealed and pre-packaged products received directly from manufacturers, and there is no tampering or modification done by retailers. “If there is any issue with the product, the manufacturer should be held responsible. We are merely the medium through which the products reach farmers,” Gupta added.
