Agriculture Department Cracks Down on Fertiliser Black Marketing in Pune Division; 113 Licences Suspended or Cancelled, FIRs Sgainst Seven Dealers
Pune, 1st July 2026: The Agriculture Department has launched a major crackdown on black marketing, hoarding and overpricing of fertilisers across the Pune division, taking action against 113 fertiliser dealers and registering criminal cases against seven others during a special inspection drive.
The drive, conducted across Pune, Ahilyanagar and Solapur districts, was aimed at ensuring farmers receive quality fertilisers at government-approved rates and preventing artificial shortages, hoarding and the sale of substandard products.
The action was carried out under the guidance of Agriculture Commissioner Suraj Mandhare and on the directions of Director (Inputs and Quality Control) Sunil Borkar.
During the campaign, officials inspected 2,576 fertiliser retail outlets across the three districts. Irregularities were detected in 281 cases, while 277 dealers were issued show-cause notices. Authorities suspended 107 fertiliser sale licences, cancelled six licences, and registered FIRs against seven dealers for serious violations.
In Pune district, officials inspected 650 fertiliser outlets, detected irregularities in 71 cases, and suspended 27 licences.
In Ahilyanagar district, 812 outlets were inspected. The department suspended 16 licences, cancelled two licences, and registered three FIRs against dealers for hoarding and other violations.
In Solapur district, where the highest number of inspections was conducted, officials checked 1,129 outlets. Testing revealed 18 fertiliser samples to be substandard. The department suspended 64 licences, cancelled four licences, and registered four FIRs against dealers.
To prevent the diversion of subsidised urea for industrial use, the department also inspected 42 industrial units across the division.
Babasaheb Jejurkar, Joint Director of Agriculture (Pune Division), said the department would continue taking stringent action against those involved in black marketing, artificial shortages, hoarding and overcharging for fertilisers.
The Agriculture Department has appealed to farmers to purchase fertilisers only from authorised dealers and to report any complaints related to fertiliser sales to the nearest agriculture office.
