Jaipur, May 26 (IANS) A major crackdown on the seed mafia in Rajasthan was carried out after Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena conducted a surprise inspection and raided illegal factories operating in the RIICO Industrial Area, Chomu, near Jaipur.

Acting without prior notice, the minister visited two unauthorised units where a large-scale racket involving counterfeit groundnut seeds was allegedly being run.

The factories were reportedly misusing the name of a reputed Sikar-based company to repackage substandard seeds under fake branding.

Officials said the units were involved in illegally packing low-quality groundnuts and selling them as certified high-yield seed varieties, including popular strains such as RG-510, SG-551, and RG-578 developed by agricultural research institutions.

During the raid, officials recovered a large quantity of material from the premises.

This included nearly 6 million empty sacks and packaging bags bearing labels of reputed seed companies, along with around 200,000 sacks of raw groundnuts procured from the open market at low prices.

Investigators also found industrial machinery used to shell peanuts and pack them into branded seed bags, indicating a well-organised counterfeit production system operating at scale.

The entire facility was immediately sealed by officials accompanying the minister, with police support deployed at the site.

Agriculture department scientists who inspected the seized material found that the groundnuts were contaminated with aflatoxin, a toxic fungus known to cause severe health risks.

Experts warned that if such contaminated seeds are used for cultivation, crop failure could be severe.

Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated produce is also linked to serious liver damage and long-term health hazards, including cancer.

Officials said the presence of the fungus made the seized stock unfit for agricultural use or human consumption, adding a serious public health dimension to the racket.

The minister stated that such illegal activities have severely damaged farmers’ trust in certified seed varieties and affected Rajasthan’s agricultural reputation in international markets.

He noted that groundnut exports from the state had previously been strong, but concerns over quality and contamination had led to restrictions on exports to some destinations in recent years.

Authorities said the racket not only cheated farmers by selling fake seeds at inflated prices but also risked long-term damage to soil health, crop productivity, and export credibility.

Officials from the agriculture department, along with police teams, are continuing the investigation to identify the scale of the network and trace supply chains linked to the illegal operations.

The state government has indicated that it will take strict action against all those involved in the counterfeit seed trade.

–IANS

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