Nashik: To check for substandard seeds and fertilisers during the coming kharif season hence May to October, 16 flying squads are appointed by the agriculture department of the state government. The move will ensure that the farmers get quality seeds.

Moreover, the department is also planning to give lab testing reports of grapes to farmers from the next season. At present, the testing report is provided to exporter alone. The district agriculture superintendent officer T N Jagtap shared this information during the inauguration of a workshop by the Maharashtra Rajya Draksha Bagayatdar Sangh (MRDBS) on 'April pruning of vineyards' held in the city.

"As many as 16 flying squads have been appointed across the district at the taluka-level ahead of the coming kharif season to keep an eye on substandard seeds and fertilisers to ensure that farmers would get quality seeds. We are also planning give licence to a group of farmers registered with the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) for sale of seeds and fertilisers directly to the farmers," said Jagtap.

The officer asked the group of farmers to register demands for seeds and fertilisers directly to the agriculture department, and they would be given licences.

Jagtap also said, "The government had approved the cluster projects for mechanisation of vineyards, but stalled the funds due to technical reasons. But they will definitely gets pending funds shortly. The proposal has been given to the state government for the receipt of funds and the matter is being pursued."