The law enforcers also seized sizeable quantities of engine oil and things used in making adulterated fertiliser products. Add to these, the recent discovery of a huge quantity of foodgrains in a store house that was found patently unfit for human consumption. All these are criminal acts calling for legal action.

People of the country have generally welcomed the move and the media too has highlighted the raids. Hoarding which creates artificial scarcity of commodities and push the prices up must be deterred by all means.

But production, import and stocking of these commodities are essential and interrelated economic activities. Therefore, as much we are appreciative of these much needed raids we believe that authorities should also keep in mind the necessity for avoiding any undue panic in the market place which may affect the supply side of the economy. Genuine importers and dealers should not get wrong signals that may result in slowing down imports in particular.

The present government should, therefore, take some pragmatic steps that will serve as incentives for genuine importers to keep flow of imports uninterrupted. Our farmers have been worst hit particularly since last year, due to non-availability and shortage in the supply of fertilisers. Besides piling of goods is also caused due to failure of the networking of transporters of respective regions in reaching the commodity at the farmers' doorsteps. We should bear in mind that mere hit and run operations may not succeed in clearing the mess that exists in the production, import and distribution of fertilisers in the country.