Yogi govt takes step to curb fertilizer smuggling from UP districts to Nepal

Time of India

a day ago

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Lucknow: CM Yogi Adityanath's strict directions to curb black-marketing and pilferage of fertiliser prompted the agriculture department to step up vigilance at the international border, where sporadic incidents of alleged smuggling of urea are often reported.
The focus, sources said, is essentially on seven Nepal-bordering districts, Pilibhit, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shrawasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, and Maharajganj.
The price of urea in Nepal is almost 10 times higher than in India. A 25 kg urea sack in India costs around Rs 266. This, however, soars to over Rs 2500, a top official in the agriculture department said, requesting anonymity. The stark price differential has created a lucrative black market, tempting local networks to siphon subsidised fertiliser meant for Indian farmers.
"Our top priority is to step up vigilance at the international border (Nepal border)," the official said. He revealed that incidents of fertilisers being transported clandestinely on bicycles recently came to notice.
Likewise, strict monitoring has been ordered in 28 districts, including Saharanpur, Bareilly, GB Nagar, Ghaziabad, Banda, Lalitpur, Mathura, and Chandauli, which border other states.
The challenge, not surprisingly, potentially highlights systemic vulnerabilities: porous borders, insufficient local monitoring, and the need for better coordination between agriculture, border security, and intelligence units.
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It also calls for increased digital tracking of fertiliser movement and strengthening the cooperative societies and BPACS involved in distribution, many of which remain non-operational due to a lack of manpower.
A recent govt order issued by principal secretary (agriculture), Ravindra, highlights the concern. The GO addressed to all DMs of the seven districts bordering Nepal suggested steps to check the smuggling of fertilisers from the international border.
Ravindra emphasised disallowing registration certificates for fertiliser sales within 5 km of the international border.
He also stressed establishing strong coordination with police and the state investigation bureau to take strict action against anti-social elements engaged in pilferage of fertilisers. Fertiliser is covered under the Essential Commodity Act 1955, which aims to control the production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce in certain commodities in the interest of the public.
The state govt has also asked the agriculture, police, and administrative authorities to beef up inspections by forming dedicated teams and keeping a hawk eye on the movement of fertilisers through border check posts.
At the same time, the agriculture department has been asked to validate the requirement of fertilisers at the district level. A senior official said that a close watch is being kept on the "unusually high" sale of fertilisers in the districts.