In a move to curb black marketing and illegal hoarding of fertilizers, the agriculture department conducted surprise inspections of several fertilizer shops in Khodawandpur block of Begusarai district on Friday. During the inspection, Block Agriculture Officer (BAO) Subhash Kumar thoroughly checked the available stock, sales registers, and price lists at various shops.

Kumar strictly instructed shopkeepers to provide fertilizers to farmers at the prescribed retail price. He explicitly stated that fertilizers should not be sold at a price higher than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) under any circumstances. Furthermore, he emphasized that every shopkeeper must prominently display the price list of fertilizers outside their shop for the benefit of farmers.

BAO Subhash Kumar also advised shopkeepers to issue receipts to farmers for fertilizer purchases and to duly record these sales in their registers. He stressed that the government has a zero-tolerance policy against black marketing and illegal hoarding, and strict legal action would be taken against any shopkeeper found violating these norms. He warned that if any irregularities are found in the stock and sales registers or if fertilizers are sold above MRP, the shop's license would be revoked, along with other punitive measures.

This initiative by the agriculture department is considered significant in ensuring that farmers receive fertilizers at fair prices and in bringing transparency to the fertilizer distribution system. The surprise inspections caused a stir among fertilizer sellers, making them more vigilant about adhering to regulations in the future.