Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Government Conducts Over 3 Lakh Inspections to Curb Fertilizer Malpractices
The government is making sure farmers can get the special plant food, called fertilizer, they need.
They've checked over 300,000 places that sell fertilizer across the country during planting times.
Some sellers were hiding fertilizer to sell later for more money, or selling it to people who didn't need it for farming.
The government sent warnings to thousands of these sellers.
They also stopped or cancelled the selling permits for many and even filed police reports.
Besides that, they checked for fertilizer that wasn't good quality and took action against those sellers too.
States like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have been very active in doing these checks and taking action.
This helps make sure farmers get the fertilizer they need at fair prices so their crops can grow well.
Over 3.17 lakh inspections were conducted nationwide during the Kharif and Rabi seasons to prevent fertilizer malpractices.
Thousands of show-cause notices were issued for black marketing, hoarding, and diversion of subsidized fertilizers.
Hundreds of licenses were suspended or cancelled, and numerous FIRs were registered against violators.
Significant actions were also taken against the sale of substandard fertilizers, including numerous license cancellations and FIRs.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra were among the states with the highest number of inspections and enforcement actions.
- Who
- Department of Fertilizers, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and state governments.
- What
- Conducted over 3.17 lakh inspections, issued show-cause notices, and cancelled/suspended licenses to curb black marketing, hoarding, and diversion of fertilizers, and took action against substandard fertilizers.
- When
- During the Kharif and ongoing Rabi season of 2025-26, specifically from April to November.
- Where
- Nationwide, with significant enforcement actions in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Bihar.
- Why
- To ensure the smooth supply of fertilizers, prevent artificial shortages and price manipulation, maintain market discipline, and protect farmer interests by combating malpractices and substandard products.
Government's Enforcement Measures
Farmer's Perspective
Availability and Pricing
Government's Enforcement Measures
Government actions ensure timely availability of fertilizers, prevent artificial shortages, and maintain fair market prices by curbing black marketing, hoarding, and diversion.
Farmer's Perspective
While enforcement aims to help farmers, the actual impact on their ability to access affordable fertilizers consistently is yet to be fully realized, with some farmers potentially still facing challenges.
Substandard Fertilizers
Government's Enforcement Measures
Extensive testing and rigorous action against substandard fertilizers protect farmers from poor quality inputs that could damage crops.
Farmer's Perspective
Farmers may have already suffered crop losses or reduced yields due to using suspected substandard fertilizers before enforcement measures were fully effective.
- Total Inspections and Raids
- Over 3.17 lakh
- Show Cause Notices (Black Marketing)
- 5,119
- Licenses Suspended/Cancelled (Black Marketing)
- Number not explicitly stated for black marketing alone, but cumulative actions are significant.
- Show Cause Notices (Hoarding)
- 667
- Licenses Suspended/Cancelled (Hoarding)
- 202
- FIRs Registered (Hoarding)
- 37
- Show Cause Notices (Diversion)
- 2,991
- Licenses Suspended/Cancelled (Diversion)
- 451
- FIRs Registered (Diversion)
- 92
- Show Cause Notices (Substandard Fertilizer)
- 3,544
- Licenses Suspended/Cancelled (Substandard Fertilizer)
- 1,316
- FIRs Registered (Substandard Fertilizer)
- 60
- Top Enforcement State (Inspections)
- Uttar Pradesh (28,273)
- Top Enforcement State (Licenses Cancelled/Suspended)
- Uttar Pradesh (2,730 for black marketing alone)
Sources
Fertilizer crackdown: Govt conducts over 3 lakh inspections to curb black marketing, ensure smooth supply
3,544 show cause notices issued for suspected substandard fertilizer cases: Centre
Govt crackdown on black marketing, hoarding of fertilizers to improve supply
