Mahanthagouda Nandihalli, district president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and Hasiru Sene, on August 24 alleged that spurious and substandard fertilisers and pesticides were being supplied to farmers in Kalaburagi district in connivance with officials of the Agriculture Department of Karnataka.
Addressing mediapersons at Press Club in Kalaburagi, Mr. Nandihalli said that several fertiliser companies operating in the district were adulterating fertiliser with ordinary soil, leaving farmers in distress.
“In Jewargi, Afzalpur and Yadrami taluks, most farmers are being supplied with fertiliser bags containing nearly 80% dry soil and very little nutrient. Farmers are handing over their hard-earned money, or money borrowed at high interest rates, just to buy soil that is being passed off as fertiliser,” he alleged.
Mahanthagouda Nandihalli, district president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, alleged that fertiliser was being adulterated with ordinary soil, at a press conference in Kalaburagi on August 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
ARUN KULKARNI
He named six agro-based companies in the district as being involved in the mixing business, and claimed that four other companies were engaged in adulterating pesticides.
“The story is the same with pesticides. The chemicals supplied are substandard, and fail to protect crops,” he added.
Mr. Nandihalli accused officials from the Agriculture Department, including Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors of Agriculture in Jewargi, Afzalpur, Yadrami and other areas, of colluding with the manufacturers and suppliers.
“Farmers’ leaders, including myself, have repeatedly urged agriculture officers to draw samples and send them for testing. But the officers have consistently refused. When we ourselves collected samples and handed them over, they still did not test them,” he charged.
He said that memorandums had been submitted to district In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge, Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy and Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, but no action had been taken.
“Despite repeated complaints, neither the ministers nor the administration have taken the issue seriously,” he said.
To demonstrate his allegations, Mr. Nandihalli and his associates opened two fertiliser bags during the press conference, showing that they contained large amounts of dry soil.
Issuing a warning, he said, “We are giving the district administration and the government four days’ time. If no action is taken, we will bring the spurious fertilisers and pesticides being sold to farmers and dump them outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi. We will then launch an indefinite agitation.”
The press conference was attended by farmers’ leaders Somanagouda Balabatti, Sushila Pujari, Alla Patel Shivapur, Fiaz Patel Shivapur, Gangaram Rathod, Shivakumar Patil and Shivaraj.
Published – August 25, 2025 09:32 am IST
