Collector warns fake seed merchants

Darsi: District Collector Dr Pola Bhaskara warned the manufacturers and merchants of spurious seeds that they would take strict action against them if they try to sell them. Speaking at the review meeting with the Agriculture and other related department officials at Darsi on Friday, the Collector said that the agriculture was in a deep crisis day as there was no supporting system to it.

He ordered the officials to prepare an action plan to strengthen agriculture in the district. He said that the farmers' suicides are high in the district though the government is implementing many programs for the farmers. He advised them to form farmers groups and see them all cultivate a single crop.

He asked the officials to see the farmers receive loans and seeds in time as the season started. He asked the farmers not to fall prey to the fake seeds and spurious fertilizers and assured that the officials will conduct raids on the merchants soon. He announced that the State government would encourage cold storages to store the produce, food processing units in the region.

Jalashakthi nodal officer for the district BN Reddy, agriculture JD Srirama Murthy, animal husbandry JD Ravindranath Tagore, Horticulture Additional Director Hariprasad, ATMA PD Subbarao, DWMA PD Venkateswarlu, micro irrigation PD Ravindra and other related officials also participated in the meeting.