Substandard quality of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides haunts farmers.

“Agriculture department joint director from Vizianagaram district, GSNS Leelavathi told TOI that they plan to form enforcement teams to inspect the quality of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.” Taking advantage of the farmers, the private traders sell fake, illicit and substandard products to them,” Prakash explained.The farmers approach these private traders for loans due to the government not including them in the loan waiver scheme. “Mandal agriculture officer will act as the quality control inspector by collecting the samples of each product from all the traders. As the agriculture season has just begun, we took time and will implement the measures by this month,” Leelavathi said. They then black market the stock and force farmers to buy the produce.