The Department of Posts and the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a nationwide logistics framework for transporting pesticide, seed and fertiliser samples to designated laboratories across the country.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
Speaking at the event, Scindia said the Department of Posts, guided by the Prime Minister’s vision of “Viksit Bharat”, has evolved into one of the world’s most extensive logistics and distribution networks. With over 1.60 lakh post offices—nearly 1.40 lakh of them in rural areas—India Post plays a vital role in connecting citizens nationwide and handles lakhs of deliveries daily, including nearly six lakh parcel deliveries during peak festive periods.
The collaboration is part of the PAN-India Online Pesticide, Seed and Fertiliser Quality Management System being developed by the Centre for Research and Industrial Staff Performance (CRISP). The system aims to enhance quality control, transparency and timely testing of agricultural inputs through a technology-enabled workflow.
Under the MoU, the Department of Posts will provide end-to-end logistics support for the secure, traceable and time-bound movement of samples collected by pesticide, seed and fertiliser inspectors. Leveraging its extensive postal network and last-mile connectivity, including in remote and rural regions, India Post will ensure reliable transportation of samples across the country.
The scope of services includes designated booking and consolidation points, specialised handling and packaging protocols for sensitive samples, and QR code–based address masking with digital tracking to ensure confidentiality and end-to-end traceability. For select samples, temperature conditions required for preservation will also be digitally monitored.
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan highlighted that the circulation of fake and substandard pesticides, seeds and fertilisers causes significant financial losses and distress to farmers. He said the MoU would help protect farmers by ensuring faster and more reliable testing of agricultural inputs, strengthening enforcement and curbing the spread of spurious products.
He added that improved logistics and digital tracking would reduce sample transit time from the earlier 10–15 days to just 48–72 hours, enabling quicker testing, timely corrective action and greater confidence among farmers in the quality of inputs supplied.
The partnership underscores the government’s focus on stronger institutional coordination and the use of India Post’s logistics capabilities to support national programmes, enhance regulatory oversight and improve quality assurance in the agriculture sector.