PDP Youth President and MLA Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, raised alarm over the widespread sale of fake fertilisers and pesticides in Kashmir, which he said is severely damaging the agriculture and horticulture sectors.
He accused the government of allowing hundreds of unregulated companies to supply substandard chemicals, putting farmers at risk.
Parra blamed the Agriculture Department, particularly its director, for enabling a “fertiliser mafia” that is destroying the region’s farming backbone. He called for the appointment of a competent official to crack down on corruption, investigate fake companies, and enforce proper testing of agricultural inputs at SKAUST.
According to Parra, over 300 companies have flooded the market with unregulated products in the past five years, causing huge crop losses and soil degradation in key sectors like apples, saffron, and rice. He urged the Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governor to appoint a nodal officer to investigate and regulate these products to protect farmers.
Parra warned that inaction could lead to economic collapse, as farmers fall into debt and productivity declines, threatening both food security and the region’s economy. He also called for compensation for farmers affected by substandard chemicals.
