22 fertiliser mixing plants raided in crackdown

HYDERABAD: The agriculture department has started cracking the whip on dealers hoarding fertilisers. On the other hand, cases were also are being registered against those dealers selling them at a higher price than the maximum retail price (MRP). During the kharif season, 6,929 MT of fertilisers worth Rs. 3.68 crore have been seized from fertiliser mixing plants.In the wake of increasing demand for fertilisers among farmers, agriculture commissioner V Usha Rani conducted a teleconference with joint directors of agriculture department on Saturday and asked them to ensure proper supply of fertilisers. She warned dealers against selling fertilisers at excess prices and asked the officials to cancel their licences. The agricultural officials have formed 11 inspection squads to check the sale of fertilisers at premium rates, illegal hoarding and black marketing. The licenses of 10 dealers have been suspended and two cancelled, while 15 cases have been registered and three persons arrested in this connection.Over past two days, agriculture department has raided 22 mixing plants and seized 5,764 MT fertilisers worth `3.27 crore. They have caught about 1,535 MT urea from Haritha Fertilisers owned by former Kadapa mayor P Ravindranath Reddy and sought explanation from him failing which stock will be seized. The officials said that fertiliser companies that have allegedly acquired huge quantities of fertilisers from dealers have been asked to stop their supply to the mixing plants. Dealers have allegedly sold complex fertilisers to mixing plants at premium rates and created artificial shortage.