Spurious pesticides flood markets

Adulterated pesticides have flooded the markets in the district due to lax monitoring by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

Shopkeepers at Kamlabari and Hajiganj villages under Aditmari upazila; Chaparhat, Shialkhowa and Chandrapur under Kaliganj upazila; Doikhowa and Singimari under Hatibandha upazila are selling adulterated pesticides as it brings high profit. The packets of the adulterated pesticides do not have any license number or addresses of the manufacturing companies.

Mansur Ali, a pesticide retailer at Hajiganj village, said they do not know the pesticides are adulterated, and they sell them as they get high profit. "Farmers are always interested in buying pesticides at low rate, so it is easy to sell adulterated pesticides to them," he said, adding that the farmers are unaware of the quality of the pesticides.

"Adulterated pesticides are being sold at fifty percent or even less price than those of any brand company," said Nur Islam, a pesticide retailer at Chaparhat. 

Altaf Hossain, 55, a farmer of Chandrapur village, said pesticide sellers and even agriculture officials never made them aware of adulterated pesticides.

"As we use adulterated pesticides, we don't get expected result, so we have to use more," said Jahedul Islam, 48, a farmer at Hajiganj village under Aditmari upazila.

Monir Uddin, a representative of a pesticide company in the district, said over 100 fake pesticide companies supply adulterated pesticides during the robi season. "We informed the DAE officials about the adulterated pesticides flooding the markets, but no action has been taken in this regard," he added.

Representatives of pesticide companies and sellers said a syndicate produces the adulterated pesticides at BDR Hat and College Bazar in the town, Khatapara Majhar under Aditmari upazila, and Chaparhat.

Deputy Director of DAE in Lalmonirhat Bidubhuson Roy said he has heard about sale of adulterated pesticides in the markets, and has asked all the upazila agriculture officials to take prompt action against it. "Taking help of the district administration, DAE will conduct mobile courts against adulterated pesticides in the markets very soon," he added.