Agriculture Minister Launches WhatsApp Helpline for Farmers, Report Issues Now

Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde has announced that the Agriculture Department has launched a helpline number to address the sale of fertilizers and seeds. This initiative aims to help resolve thousands of complaints and issues faced by farmers. There have been frequent reports from Maharashtra regarding the sale of counterfeit fertilizers and seeds. In response, the Maharashtra Agriculture Department has introduced this helpline to address complaints about retailers charging exorbitant prices for seeds.

Agriculture Minister's Statement:

Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde has directed the launch of the 'Agriculture Complaint WhatsApp Helpline Number' for farmers. The Agriculture Department has issued a WhatsApp number, 9822446655, for farmers to report issues. If any agricultural input dealer in the state is forcing farmers to buy seeds or fertilizers from certain companies, selling them at high prices, or selling fake varieties, farmers can send their complaints to the above WhatsApp number along with the name of the shop, location, district, and available evidence. This will help address numerous complaints related to fertilizers and seeds, and the identity of the complaining farmers will be kept confidential.

Issues Faced by Farmers Regarding Fertilizers and Seeds:

Farmers often have to take loans to buy fertilizers and seeds at high prices. Despite buying these inputs at high costs, they do not get the right price for their crops, which leads to mounting debts. The unavailability of fertilizers also delays their farming activities and reduces their yields. During the Kharif season, farmers need fertilizers and seeds to start their farming activities on time. Without timely access to these inputs, they cannot achieve good yields.

Solution for Farmers' Issues:

The responsibility of investigating complaints related to fertilizers and seeds submitted via the WhatsApp helpline lies with the Agriculture Department. This initiative aims to curb the sale of counterfeit fertilizers, fake seeds, and pesticides in the state, benefiting farmers and improving crop yields. It is noteworthy that cotton farming is done on a large scale in Maharashtra. Farmers were often sold fake seeds in the markets. This initiative will prompt swift action against such malpractices.