JOIN USFertiliser dealers in the state should display the maximum retail price (MRP) of items on sale outside their shops, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of fertiliser manufacturers and top officials of the agriculture department, Byregowda said the display of MRP had been mandated to avert any confusion on the prices and also in response to complaints of overcharging.
All fertiliser manufacturers have been directed to place advertisements in newspapers on the prices of the various fertiliser manufactured by them, the minister said.
While manufacturers of phosphorous and potazzic fertilisers could fix the MRP for their products, they should print the price on each bag of fertiliser along with the subsidy.
He said fertiliser inspectors and vigilance teams had been constituted in all districts and they regularly inspect fertilizer sale points to prevent black-markets. Five cases have been booked in this connection, the minister added.
Seven people had been arrested for selling spurious fertiliser, he said.
The minister said sufficient quantity of fertilisers “is available.” While the total requirement of fertilisers from April to July this year was 13.83 lakh tonnes, the department had arranged to supply 15.27 lakh tonnes.
As on July 30, seven lakh quintal seeds of different crop varieties had also been distributed to 12.62 lakh farmers, he said.