Centre Plans Tough Law Against Fake Fertilisers, Pesticides To Protect Farmers
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister **Shivraj Singh Chouhan** has announced that the Centre is drafting a **new law specifically aimed at curbing fake and substandard fertilisers, pesticides and seeds**, calling such products a “curse for farmers” and a threat to national food security. Speaking at the National Agriculture Conference – Rabi Abhiyan 2025 in New Delhi, he said the draft legislation is being prepared in consultation with states and will be brought to Parliament after their suggestions are incorporated.
What The Proposed Law Will Do
Existing provisions under the **Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985** and the **Essential Commodities Act, 1955** already prohibit the sale of fake or substandard fertilisers, but enforcement has been patchy and penalties relatively weak. The new Bill is expected to **raise fines and jail terms**, empower authorities to **seal factories and cancel licences** of repeat offenders, and strengthen the legal framework for prosecuting those who manufacture, blend or trade in counterfeit agro‑inputs.
Officials indicate that the law will also provide for **stricter supply‑chain tracking**, mandatory batch‑wise quality testing and faster blacklisting of brands found guilty of adulteration, so that spurious products can be pulled from the market before they reach farmers’ fields.
Nationwide Crackdown Already Under Way
Even before the new law comes in, Chouhan has ordered a **nationwide crackdown** on spurious farm inputs, directing state governments to conduct surprise inspections and joint raids at fertiliser plants, wholesale godowns and retail shops. In recent drives, states such as Rajasthan and Maharashtra have **sealed dozens of factories and depots** and registered multiple FIRs over alleged fake or diverted fertiliser, with the Centre reporting over **3.17 lakh raids** to check black marketing and hoarding since October.
The minister has also written to all chief ministers asking them to ensure strict surveillance of subsidised fertilisers to prevent diversion to industry or neighbouring countries, and to use fast‑track courts wherever possible for cases involving counterfeit inputs.
Why The Crackdown Matters For Farmers
Chouhan stressed that fake fertilisers and pesticides cause **huge financial losses** for farmers by damaging crops and lowering yields, while also degrading soil health and contaminating water sources. He said protecting farmers from such fraud is as important as giving them MSP or insurance, and promised that farmers “will get quality fertilisers, seeds and pesticides under all circumstances”.
To complement the legal changes, the ministry plans to set up **more fertiliser and pesticide testing laboratories**, deploy mobile labs in rural blocks and launch awareness campaigns so that farmers can recognise genuine products and report suspicious dealers through helplines and apps.
With sowing for the Rabi season under way and reports of fertiliser scams surfacing from several states, the proposed anti‑fake fertiliser law is being pitched as a key part of the government’s push to secure a foodgrain target of **362.5 million tonnes in 2025–26** while safeguarding farmers’ incomes and trust in the input system.
