Action taken on complaints received by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the soybean crop was damaged due to the use of spurious herbicide.The Centre has initiated strict action against agrochemical companies producing spurious and substandard products after farmers in Madhya Pradesh reported crop damage caused by poor-quality herbicides. Acting on the directives of Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, authorities seized herbicide samples from the market and confirmed that the product was of inferior quality.
As a result, the Rajasthan government has suspended the manufacturing licence of HPM Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd., whose herbicide Chlorimuron Ethyl 25% WP was found to be misbranded. The decision was taken under Section 14 of the Insecticides Act, 1968, based on test results from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine, and Storage. The company is now barred from manufacturing, selling, or distributing its products until further orders.