Hanumangarh, Rajasthan : State Agriculture Minister Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena conducted a surprise inspection of Star Agri Seeds Private Limited, located in Sangaria tehsil of Hanumangarh district. During the inspection, Dr. Meena discovered serious irregularities in the company’s wheat and mustard seed production, prompting immediate action.
Numerous defects were found in approximately 34,000 quintals of wheat and 100,000 bags of seeds stored for seed packaging at this Sangaria-based seed company. The packaging displayed a Tamil Nadu address, even though the seeds were being packaged locally. Furthermore, approximately 10,000 quintals of mustard seeds had been treated with hazardous chemicals, potentially posing a safety risk to farmers.
Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena took the matter very seriously and demanded several necessary documents from the company’s representatives. He requested information from the company regarding genetic sources, a list of farmers producing seeds, field inspection reports, lot-wise lab testing reports, and seed grading reports. The findings revealed significant irregularities in the company’s operations, which are now under close scrutiny.
More importantly, Dr. Meena inspected all of the company’s warehouses, which housed mustard, wheat, and other crop seeds. Several serious irregularities were also found in these warehouses.
Until further orders, Dr. Meena has ordered a suspension of seed sales to ensure farmers are not exposed to substandard and dangerous seeds.
Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena said in his statement,
“I want to assure all my farmer brothers that under no circumstances will the farmers of the state be allowed to receive substandard seeds. Providing quality, certified, and safe seeds to farmers is my primary goal in life. I am and will continue to strive towards this commitment.”
This move by the Agriculture Minister has brought a sense of satisfaction among farmers, as they are confident that strict measures are now being taken to protect their interests.