KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to launch a province-wide crackdown against fake fertilisers and agricultural medicines.

The decision was taken at an important meeting held at the office of the secretary of agriculture, Sindh Secretariat Karachi, where Sindh Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar and Agriculture Secretary Muhammad Zaman Narejo consulted with prominent farmer leaders of the province.

The meeting discussed in detail important matters such as the effective implementation of the Sindh Seed Act, certified cotton varieties, shortage of 3G fertilisers and continuous supply of agricultural commodities.

According to a spokesperson for the Sindh agriculture department, issues related to the cultivation of tomato, mango and banana in Tando Allahyar, price control and supply were also discussed, besides availability of beneficial plants like isabgol (psyllium husk) and certified onion seeds in Thar regions.

The farmer representatives informed the agriculture minister about issues such as water shortages, fake agricultural medicines and fertiliser shortages. In response, the minister directed the concerned officials to take immediate action and conduct daily operations against counterfeit agricultural products.

The minister stated that discussions would be held with the irrigation separtment to ensure timely water supply to farmers. He emphasised that climate change and water scarcity were severely affecting the agricultural sector, making effective measures imperative.

Published in Dawn, Aug 1st, 2025