The Agricultural Task Force (ATF) will launch a drive against sale of fake pesticides in the current Kharif season. It was decided in a meeting of Agricultural Task Force chaired by the Secretary Agriculture, Javed Iqbal Awan held here on Thursday.
Awan underlined the government to put check on sale of spurious/adulterated/sub-standard pesticides and fertilisers through intelligence based sampling. He said instructions have been issued to the field staff not to interact unregistered and unlicensed companies/dealers involved in sale of pesticides and fertiliser immediately.
Moreover, he directed field officers to approach adulterers immediately to curb such malpractice as this is the matter of serious concern relating to food security and its quality too. He also directed officials working at pesticide laboratories in Punjab to make analysis the report of intelligence based samples available within two days.
The representatives of Pesticide Companies/Associations including Crop-Life and PCPA offered full co-operation to check menace of adulteration in pesticides. Additional Secretary Agriculture Task Force, Pervaiz Lodhi, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Special branch) Director General Agri. (Ext.), Director General (Pest Warning) Director Soil Fertility, Director Plant Protection and representatives of Prosecution Department and Pesticides Associations also attended the meeting.