Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has taken a strict stance against black-marketing and irregularities in fertilizer sale during the current Kharif 2026-27 season.
Adequate quantity of fertilizers is available across the state, the government said. Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo has laid out a zero-tolerance strategy to deal with black-marketing and diversion of fertilizers.
District and block-level Enforcement Squads have been constituted to prevent unfair practices such as black-marketing, hoarding and supply of substandard fertilizers. Inspection teams and flying squads comprising senior officers from Revenue, Agriculture and Police Departments are conducting regular raids at wholesale and retail fertilizer shops on the order of Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav.
During the current financial year, raids have been conducted at 11,684 fertilizer shops across the state. Show-cause notices have been issued to 2,774 persons, fertilizer sales by 321 dealers have been temporarily suspended, licenses of 170 dealers have been suspended and licenses of 96 dealers have been cancelled. Fertilizer stocks of 12 erring dealers have been seized and criminal cases registered against 7.
Last year in 2025-26, raids were carried out at 9,017 shops. Show-cause notices were sent to 2,373 individuals, sales by 48 dealers were halted and licenses of 53 dealers were suspended or revoked. Stocks from 15 dealers were seized and cases filed against 9.
On August 29, 2026, a joint raid at Maa Sabitri Agro Agency in Baliguda Sub-Division, Kandhamal, involving Tahasildar, Agriculture officials and Police, led to seizure of 700 bags of DAP, cancellation of licence and filing of a criminal case.
Raids have also been ongoing for the past two days at various fertilizer shops in Manamunda Block, Boudh district. The government is closely monitoring the situation and advised farmers not to panic over rumours and to buy fertilizers only from authorised shops at controlled prices.
