IFFCO fertiliser scam

Samples sent out of state for testing

Srinagar, July 4

Agriculture Department is waiting for a final test report that will decide the fate of 26,00 metric tons of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer supplied by fertilizer giant Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) to the Valley in March.

 This supply had been put on hold after its tests revealed a low percentage of an important chemical than the setup norm.

Deputy Director Law and Enforcement Wing of Agriculture Department MS Katoo told Kashmir Reader that to cross check and maintain neutrality samples have been sent for verification to an outside laboratory as well, by the Directorate Office in Jammu.

“We are hopeful of receiving its report in few days and based on its findings we will initiate our action,” he said adding that the tests done here have revealed a substandard nature of the supply.

According to sources the samples of a particular lot of IFFCO’s DAP have failed repeated tests conducted recently here at a departmental testing lab.

However, a member of Kashmir Apex Agriculture Cooperative Supply and Marketing Society Ltd, Nowgam, an authorized distributor of IFFCO told Kashmir Reader that their supply has always been up to mark and it is some of their rival companies that are trying to malign the image of the company.

“The percentage is only a bit low and the company officials were pushing for analytical tests conducted in their presence, besides also giving an option of lowering the rate of their seized product,” he said.

 A top official of the department who wanted to remain anonymous said that, the company or its dealer’s reasoning cannot be implemented as the tests conducted here have pointed to less percentage of an important component.

“There is no option of lowering the rate as the farmers have to be guided afresh on the usage content of this fertilizer and it can lead to crop fluctuation,” he said adding that the lab here is fully capable of conducting such analytical tests.

The valley on an average consumes 80,000 mt of DAP that are sourced from different companies. DAP is used both in agricultural and horticulture crops for it supplying the crops with Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium nutrients.

However, Katoo told Kashmir Reader that there is no shortfall on this important fertilizer as they have asked other companies to beef up the supply after the IFFCO seizure.

The seizure was carried out in March this year when consignments of substandard DAP fertilizers where reported to have reached valley, with the law enforcement wing of Agriculture Department seizing it at various store houses.