Major Crackdown on Seed and Fertiliser Dealers in Sinapali: Four Licences Cancelled, Two Suspended

Sinapali, July 11: In a major enforcement drive aimed at protecting farmers from counterfeit seeds, substandard fertilisers, and unfair trade practices, the Agriculture Department conducted surprise inspections at nearly 40 seed and fertiliser retail outlets across Sinapali Block in Nuapada district. The intensive inspection, led by Block Agriculture Officer Sudhanshu Meher, uncovered several instances of irregularities and violations of licensing norms. Following the verification, the department cancelled the licences of four dealers, suspended two others, and issued show-cause notices to several more, sending a strong message against malpractice in the agricultural input supply chain. According to official sources, the licences of Alok Naik and Sarat Naik of Kusumjor village, Gyan Naik of Jharbandh, and Kshirod Meher of Hatibandha were cancelled after serious discrepancies were detected during the inspection. Similarly, the retail outlets operated by Sail Meher of Sagunbhadi and Chandra Meher of Sinapali have been placed under suspension pending further action. The department also served show-cause notices to several dealers, including Bijay Padhi of Palsapada, Dinesh Agrawal of Nilji, Gajendra Nial of Khumal, Shankar Harijan of Godal, and Rupesh Meher of Sinapali, seeking explanations regarding alleged violations. The inspection team included Assistant Agriculture Officer (AAO) Tapaswini Majhi, BFT Shri Dhakad, and other officials and field staff of the Agriculture Department. Officials stated that the drive was undertaken to ensure farmers receive quality-certified seeds and fertilisers during the ongoing agricultural season and to curb the circulation of fake or unauthorised agricultural inputs. The department has also made it clear that similar surprise inspections will continue across the block in the coming days to safeguard farmers’ interests and maintain transparency in the distribution of agricultural supplies. The action has been widely welcomed by farmers, who hope that such strict enforcement will strengthen confidence in the agricultural supply system and ensure timely access to genuine farm inputs.