Srinagar: Director Agriculture Kashmir, Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi Wednesday convened a meeting to review the progress of supply stock and sale of different kinds of fertilizers across the valley and to review the achievement on the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer in the fertilizer sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Director Agriculture Kashmir enjoined upon all the participants including Senior Officers of the Department , Law Enforcement Inspectors, Representatives of fertilizer companies to sensitize the retail fertilizer dealers regarding the sale of fertilizers through Point Of Sale Machines (P.O.S) as per the instructions of department of fertilizers Ministry of Chemicals and fertilizers  New Delhi Government of India, so that farmers may not face any hardships and inconveniences.

Director Agriculture passed on instructions to the fertilizer companies operating in the valley to immediately stop (if any) the import of non-FCO Organic/ Bio fertilizers and other products into the valley, as per the orders issued by Agriculture Production Department Government of Jammu and Kashmir vide no 96- Agri of 2018 dated 20-03-2018. He said this initiative has been taken by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir for the promotion of indigenous organic/bio fertilizer production and involvement of unemployed youth in this sector. He said the import of Bio fertilizers and organic fertilizers specified under Clause-2 (h) and (g) in schedule (III) and schedule (IV) of fertilizer control order 1985 if only the said products are accompanied with batch wise quality analysis report from Government notified/ Accredited laboratory.

Director Agriculture quoted the above-mentioned order and said “however there are some organic fertilizers specified in schedule- IV of fertilizer control order 1985that could be allowed in very rare cases in the absence of local organic fertilizers and that too should be certified by the Director Agriculture Kashmir”.

Andrabi called upon the officers of Law Enforcement Agency of the Department to strictly ensure that the government order is followed in letter and spirit by all the concerned and closely monitor the sale proceedings of fertilizers, so that farmers interest can be protected.

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