The government would adopt an “iron-fist approach against spurious seed traders”, said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at a high-level review meeting on Friday, which was attended by Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Adviser Vem Narender Reddy, and senior officials.
The CM directed Agriculture officials to be fully prepared for the upcoming monsoon crop season, emphasizing the need for adequate availability of seeds and fertilizers across all districts.
He directed District Collectors and police officials to remain vigilant and conduct joint raids through task forces. He reiterated the government’s zero tolerance towards those ‘cheating’ farmers with spurious seeds and fertilizers.
He warned of strict legal action against companies and traders involved in the sale of counterfeit agricultural inputs.
Mr. Reddy said the government has detailed information on spurious seed operations, including storage, transport, and distribution routes and called for surveillance at state borders. He ordered the invocation of the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against repeat offenders and instructed Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao to coordinate with district Collectors, Superintendents of Police, and Commissioners to prevent farmers from facing any hurdles.
Emphasizing the importance of buying only packed seeds, the CM asked farmers to save the bills and packaging until the end of the harvest season for accountability. He directed the Agriculture Department to launch a widespread awareness campaign against spurious seeds and companies.
The CM also urged farmers to heed IMD’s warning about an early monsoon and begin sowing at the appropriate time.
Officials told him that all districts currently have adequate stock of seeds and fertilizers. They also stated that the acreage under paddy and cotton cultivation is expected to be high this season, and that all seeds in demand were available in the market.
Published – May 16, 2025 10:22 pm IST
