Minister orders action against firms failing seed quality test

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian has ordered legal action against companies whose samples of seeds, pesticides and fertilisers had failed during a quality check drive.

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Khuddian said 5,082 samples of seeds, 2,867 of pesticides and 2,473 fertilisers were tested during the drive. Out of them, 141 samples of seeds failed the quality test, while 81 samples of pesticides were found misbranded and 78 samples of fertilisers sub-standard, he added.

The department has initiated legal action against the dealers and firms whose samples had failed the test.

Taking stock of the results at a meeting at Kisan Bhawan here, Khuddian also directed all chief agriculture officers to furnish biweekly progress reports on maintaining quality and closely monitor agricultural schemes.