The Department of Fertilizers (DoF), in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW) and state governments, carried out large-scale raids and inspections to curb black marketing, hoarding, and diversion of fertilizers during the Kharif and ongoing Rabi season across the country.
The coordinated crackdown – the largest in recent years – was aimed at ensuring timely availability of fertilizers to farmers, protecting their interests, and maintaining the integrity of India’s fertilizer distribution system.
According to the DoF, over 3.17 lakh inspections and raids were conducted across the country between April and November. These efforts resulted in the issuance of 5,119 show-cause notices for black marketing, leading to 3,645 license cancellations or suspensions and 418 FIRs being registered nationwide.
To prevent hoarding, 667 show-cause notices were issued, 202 licenses were suspended or cancelled, and 37 FIRs registered. In diversion-related cases, 2,991 show-cause notices were served, 451 licenses were revoked or suspended, and 92 FIRs were lodged. Enforcement actions were taken under the Essential Commodities Act and the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) to ensure strict compliance.
Several states mounted strong enforcement operations, integrating inspection, legal action, and digital tracking.
* Uttar Pradesh led the national campaign with 28,273 inspections, 1,957 show-cause notices, 2,730 license cancellations/suspensions, and 157 FIRs.
* Maharashtra carried out 42,566 inspections and over 1,000 license cancellations related to diversion violations.
* Rajasthan conducted 11,253 inspections with comprehensive action across all categories.
* Bihar executed nearly 14,000 inspections and 500 license suspensions.
* Other States including Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat also demonstrated strong vigilance and swift enforcement.
These measures effectively prevented artificial shortages and price manipulation during the peak agricultural season.
The enforcement drive also targeted substandard fertilizers to protect farmers from poor-quality inputs. Across states, authorities issued 3,544 show-cause notices in suspected cases, resulting in 1,316 license cancellations or suspensions and 60 FIRs.
Regular sampling and laboratory testing were conducted under the Fertilizer Control Order, 1985, to eliminate substandard materials from the market and ensure that only certified products reached farmers.
State-level authorities used real-time digital dashboards to monitor stock movements, coordinate inspections, and redirect seized or hoarded fertilizers to cooperative societies for immediate redistribution. Farmer complaints were tracked through fast-response mechanisms to ensure immediate corrective action.
The Department of Fertilizers lauded the efforts of state and district administrations, agricultural officers, and law enforcement agencies for their proactive vigilance and swift enforcement.
The Department urged farmers, dealers, and citizens to continue reporting irregularities and support transparent, lawful fertilizer distribution.
“The Government remains fully committed to ensuring the availability, quality, and integrity of fertilizers across the country,” the DoF said in a statement, adding that collective vigilance is key to maintaining a fair and efficient supply chain.