Centre’s fertiliser crackdown during Kharif and Rabi: 3.17 lakh inspections, 4,000+ FIRs and mass licence cancellations
New Delhi, November 13, 2025: The Department of Fertilizers, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and state governments, has mounted a nationwide enforcement drive through Kharif and the ongoing Rabi season 2025–26 (April–November) to curb black marketing, hoarding and diversion of fertilisers, and to ensure smooth, timely supply to farmers.
Officials said secretaries of both departments held multiple joint meetings with states, following which district teams undertook unprecedented raids, inspections and legal measures to reinforce market discipline and safeguard distribution integrity across regions.
Key enforcement outcomes (April–November)
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Total checks: 3,17,054 inspections/raids across the country.
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Black marketing: 5,119 show-cause notices; 3,645 licence cancellations/suspensions; 418 FIRs.
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Hoarding: 667 show-cause notices; 202 licence cancellations/suspensions; 37 FIRs.
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Diversion: 2,991 show-cause notices; 451 licence cancellations/suspensions; 92 FIRs.
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Quality control: 3,544 show-cause notices for suspected sub-standard fertiliser; 1,316 licence cancellations/suspensions; 60 FIRs.
Officials said all actions were taken under the Essential Commodities Act and the Fertilizer Control Order, with regular sampling and multi-tier testing to purge sub-standard materials so only fertilisers meeting prescribed standards reach farmers.
State highlights
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Uttar Pradesh led with 28,273 inspections, 1,957 show-cause notices for black marketing, 2,730 licence cancellations/suspensions and 157 FIRs.
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Maharashtra conducted 42,566 inspections with over 1,000 licence cancellations tied to diversion-related violations.
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Rajasthan carried out 11,253 inspections with comprehensive action across black marketing, hoarding and diversion.
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Bihar executed nearly 14,000 inspections and over 500 licence suspensions.
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Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat also mounted robust, multi-agency drives to prevent artificial shortages and price manipulation during the peak season.
To bolster availability and accountability, state authorities used digital dashboards for real-time stock tracking, redirected seized/hoarded fertilisers swiftly to cooperative outlets, and responded rapidly to farmer complaints.
The Department commended state and district administrations, agriculture officers and law enforcement for sustained vigilance, and urged farmers and dealers to report irregularities. It reaffirmed commitment to uninterrupted availability, transparency and integrity of fertiliser supplies nationwide.