India RegionCrop ProtectionBiopesticides and Biocontrols

Ban order issued on ‘Bio’ related agri-inputs in Khandwa

31 December 2021, Indore: An order has been issued by the Deputy Director Agriculture of Khandwa district recently, banning the purchase, sale, storage and transfer of Bio products in the district with immediate effect. The said prohibition order was issued on the storage / sale of Bio products without manufacturing permission and without sale authorisation. The inspection was carried out in the sales and storage premises of private agri-input vendors and cooperative institutions in the district.

Instructions were given by Director Agriculture, Bhopal for inspection of private selling places and cooperative institutions with a view to supply quality agricultural inputs to the farmers during Rabi season. District level teams were formed for its implementation. According to the information received, when these teams inspected the sales premises and warehouses of agricultural input dealers and most of them were found to have micronutrients and other Bio products such as bio fertilizers, bio pesticides, bio organic manure, soil conditioners, etc. Company’s authorization letter, manufacturing permission, laboratory analysis report and sales authorization letter could not be produced when asked for, which is a violation of Fertilizer Control Order 1985 and Fertilizer (Operation Control) Order 1973.

Mr KC Vaskell, Notified Authority and Deputy Director Agriculture, Khandwa informed Krishak Jagat that micronutrients, bio-products (bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides) under section 19 (a) in exercise of the powers conferred in section 26 of the Fertilizer Control Order 1985. The purchase, sale, storage and transfer of bio-organic manure, soil conditioners etc. have been declared prohibited in Khandwa district with immediate effect.

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If the stock of any company is found without necessary documentation then action will be taken against the concerned as per the prescribed provision and rules, which includes action other than suspension of license. If the matter is found serious then an FIR will also be lodged against the seller concerned.

An order was issued by the Union Government, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 23 February 2021 in which manufacturers and importers of botanical extracts (including seaweed extracts), biochemistry, protein hydrolysates, amino acids, vitamins, cell-free microbial products, anti-oxidants, opaque organic, Fulvic Acid and their compounds, the manufacturer and the importer were instructed to apply to the Controller for inclusion and licensing permission.