The Centre has initiated strict action against agrochemical companies producing spurious and substandard products after farmers in Madhya Pradesh reported crop damage caused by poor-quality herbicides. Acting on the directives of Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, authorities seized herbicide samples from the market and confirmed that the product was of inferior quality.
As a result, the Rajasthan government has suspended the manufacturing licence of HPM Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd., whose herbicide Chlorimuron Ethyl 25% WP was found to be misbranded. The decision was taken under Section 14 of the Insecticides Act, 1968, based on test results from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine, and Storage. The company is now barred from manufacturing, selling, or distributing its products until further orders.
In Madhya Pradesh, farmers had complained that the use of this herbicide damaged soybean crops in several districts. Following investigations, FIRs were registered against the company in Vidisha (Rural), Dewas (Kannod), and Dhar (Badnawar). The sale of the remaining stock has been banned, and the licences of dealers who sold the faulty product have also been suspended.
Minister Chouhan, reiterating his zero-tolerance stance against fake and poor-quality farm inputs, directed state governments to ensure immediate suspension of the company’s licences until all test results are available. He also appealed to farmers not to use Chlorimuron Ethyl 25% WP (Batch No. KE-04) to prevent further crop losses.
Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena confirmed the suspension of the company’s licences and shared details of the action on social media. Chouhan further announced a nationwide drive for random inspections to curb the sale of spurious agrochemicals, assuring farmers that both the centre and state governments are committed to protecting their interests and taking strict action against defaulters.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has taken a tough stand on the issue of sale of spurious and substandard fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. Recently, he held a high-level meeting with senior officials of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), directing them to take strict action against those selling such products. He emphasized that officials must take the damage to farmers’ crops very seriously to protect them from losses. He also instructed large-scale raids and field inspections to curb the problem.