Bhubaneswar, September 3: The Odisha government has ramped up its efforts against fertilizer black marketing and hoarding during the ongoing Kharif 2026-27 season. More than 11,600 raids have been conducted, leading to punitive actions against hundreds of corrupt dealers across the state.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo outlined a zero-tolerance strategy to combat fertilizer black marketing and manipulation. He also oversees the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment.
Officials have established district and block-level enforcement teams to curb unfair practices such as black marketing, hoarding, and the supply of substandard fertilizers.
According to reports, inspection teams, comprising senior officials from the Revenue, Agriculture, and Police Departments, along with aerial squads, have been deployed in the field. Regular raids are being conducted at various wholesale and retail fertilizer outlets under the orders of Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav.
Immediate actions are being taken wherever irregularities are found, in accordance with the Fertilizer Control Order of 1985 and the Essential Commodities Act of 1955. The state government revealed that 11,684 fertilizer shops have been raided in various districts during the current financial year.
Meanwhile, show-cause notices have been issued to 2,774 individuals, and the sales of fertilizers by 321 dealers have been temporarily suspended. Additionally, licenses of 170 dealers have been suspended due to allegations of unfair practices, while 96 licenses have been revoked.
Furthermore, fertilizers have been seized from 12 guilty dealers, and criminal cases have been filed against seven of them. In the previous year, 9,017 fertilizer shops were raided, with 2,373 show-cause notices issued, 48 dealers’ sales halted, and 53 licenses suspended or revoked. Serious allegations led to the seizure of fertilizers from 15 dealers and legal cases against nine individuals.
Authorities assure that sufficient quantities of fertilizers are available at each sales center, and there is no cause for panic. The government is committed to effectively regulating the supply of fertilizers during this Kharif season and is closely monitoring the situation. Farmers are advised to disregard rumors and purchase fertilizers only from authorized shops at controlled prices.
Officials have also provided information regarding the significant raids conducted at fertilizer shops across various parts of the state in recent days and the punitive actions taken against guilty traders.
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