LAHORE:The Punjab Agriculture Department seized fake pesticides worth Rs 370 million during the year 2023, said a press release issued here on Sunday.
A spokesman said the Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides, led by Punjab Agriculture Secretary Nadir Chattha, continued crackdown on fake pesticides and seized 1.174 million kilograms of poisons. In addition, 9,084 samples were sent to the laboratories for analysis to check the quality of agricultural poisons, out of which 273 samples were found substandard.
Raids were conducted on the basis of intelligence and secret information. Total 555 raids were conducted and 679 cases were registered in 2023. During the campaign, 242 people were arrested.
The spokesman said that 19 illegal factories/firms manufacturing fake poisons were caught during the year 2023 and 734 agricultural companies were registered as distributors in Punjab while 17,099 people were issued dealership licence.