Farmers associated with the Bartana Service Cooperative Society in Khaira block, Balasore, staged protests after alleging that they had received substandard fertilisers at higher-than-expected prices. The issue came to light after concerns were raised about the quality of the fertiliser supplied to farmers, prompting demands for accountability.
According to the report, laboratory testing confirmed quality problems with the fertiliser. The protesting farmers have demanded refunds for the affected purchases and formal action against the officials responsible, while the controversy has raised concerns about the quality and distribution of agricultural inputs through cooperative societies.