New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) The Maharashtra Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Seeds Dealers Association (MAFDA) and the All India Dealer Association (AIDA) on Thursday called an indefinite statewide shutdown, warning that an ongoing enforcement drive risks disrupting the supply of critical agri-inputs to farmers across the state.
In a show of solidarity, ten major national agri-input associations — AIDA, BASAI, IMMA, OAMA, PMFAI, SFIA, VIA, MMA, TAPMA, and IAIMA — operating under the IPNM SPC (Integrated Pest and Nutrient Management Steering and Planning Committee) coalition, have announced a one-day shutdown on April 27. Support has also poured in from associations in other states, according to an official statement.
The shutdown is expected to involve over 10,000 manufacturers and 85,000 dealers and distributors in Maharashtra, potentially affecting farm-level availability of fertilisers, pesticides, and seeds.
Industry bodies alleged that dealers are being pressured to push non-subsidised fertilisers alongside subsidised products, and face threats of licence cancellation even when a single pack from an otherwise compliant batch fails quality tests.
“There is constant pressure on dealers to push non-subsidised fertilisers along with subsidised products. Even if a single pack from a batch fails quality parameters, strict actions like licence cancellation are threatened, despite the rest of the batch being compliant,” Bipin Kasliwal, General Secretary, Maharashtra All India Dealer and Distributor Association, said.
Kasliwal added that quality issues could stem from storage conditions, climate variations, water exposure, or inadequate handling, but the burden was being placed entirely on dealers, distributors, and manufacturers.
Vijay Thakur, President, OAMA, described the shutdown as “a collective step to safeguard the dignity of agri-entrepreneurs,” saying excessive and coercive enforcement was directly harming genuine businesses and the farmers they serve.
Suhas Buddhe, Convenor, IPNM SPC, said the broad industry support reflected the gravity of the situation.
“A fair, transparent, and balanced regulatory approach is essential to protect both farmers’ interests and the stability of the agri-input industry,” he said.
Industry stakeholders also flagged pre-existing structural concerns, including intentional delays in source registration, introduction of alternative competing products, and hurdles in new business registration issues, which they said have been further compounded by the current enforcement environment.
The IPNM SPC committee has sought a meeting with Maharashtra’s Agriculture Minister to present concerns of MSME agri-entrepreneurs and discuss policy reforms under the “Make in India” framework. PTI LUX DRR
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