2044 Model Fertilizer Retail Shops made operational across the country: Rao Inderjit Singh

New Delhi: Minister of State for Planning (IC) and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, in a written reply to a question by Shri Mahesh Poddar on steps taken by Government to open Model Fertilizers Retail Shops to provide quality fertilizers and for hiring of farming equipment in the country, in Rajya Sabha today, informed that during Budget 2016-17, it was announced that over a period of three years, 2000 Model Fertilizer Retail Shops would be opened across the country. The target has been achieved and 2044 Model Fertilizer Retail Shops have been made operational, the Minister informed.

Model Fertilizer Retail Shops provide mandatory services like selling of quality fertilizers at genuine rates, soil testing, seed testing, promotion of balanced use of nutrients etc. Some optional services are also provided through these shops like hiring of equipment such as tractors, laser evelers, rotavator, crop harvester and thrashers, hiring of sprayers, sale of small implements like spades and sickles etc.