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In a decisive move to curb fertilizer hoarding and ensure fair access for farmers, Punjab’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has constituted five flying squad teams dedicated to monitoring the distribution and sale of DAP and other essential fertilizers, as well as quality seeds and pesticides during the crucial Rabi season.
 
Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Friday announced that these specialized teams will conduct extensive raids to detect and prevent illegal stockpiling and black-market trading of fertilizers. The squads will also crack down on the practice of tagging chemicals to DAP, a scheme some suppliers use to inflate costs for farmers.
 
Minister Khudian emphasized that the teams will conduct thorough checks at retail and wholesale outlets and closely monitor manufacturing and marketing units to uphold quality standards and prevent profiteering at the expense of farmers.
 
As part of a robust quality control campaign spanning from April 1 to October 31, 2024, the Agriculture Department tested as many as 2063 pesticide samples, resulting in the revocation of 43 licences for misbranding. Additionally, tests on 1,751 samples of chemical fertilizers, 100 samples of biofertilizers, and 40 organic manure samples led to the cancellation of 48 more licenses and three registered FIRs.
 
Minister Khudian reiterated Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s commitment to safeguarding farmers' interests, assigning each flying squad a coverage area of four to five districts to maintain strict oversight and closely monitor the sale and supply of seeds, pesticides and fertilizers. The squads are tasked with balancing the supply and demand for essential agricultural inputs, and any instances of illegal hoarding or price inflation will face immediate legal consequences.
 
“No one will be allowed to exploit farmers, and strict legal action will be taken against those found indulged in illegal practices,” he made it clear.