Fertiliser monitoring cell in Hyd

The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a 24x7 'fertiliser monitoring cell' for redressal of grievances pertaining to price, quality and non-availability of fertilisers in Hyderabad, according to minister for agriculture N Raghuveera Reddy.

Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, the minister said with the rainfall increasing by 25 per cent to 421.7 mm, the ministry was gearing up to provide facilities including seeds, fertilisers and crop loans to farmers across the state this kharif season.

“The state government is committed to extend Rs 42,000 crore loans to farmers this year, and had so far sanctioned loans to 10 million farmers. Loans will be extended to 1 million farmers additionally, besides an equal number of tenant farmers this year,” he said.

Reddy said the government was ready to supply 3.67 million tonne of fertilisers to farmers this kharif. This year, the government has targeted to have 8.2 million hectare under cultivation, as compared with 8 million hectare last year.

The 2008-2009 kharif was the best season ever for Andhra Pradesh, giving the highest yield of 20.4 million tonne of foodgrains, consuming 3.17 million tonne of fertilisers.

Stating that around 15 complex fertiliser mixing units in the state were on the brink of closure on account of short-supply of raw material and other components like urea, sulphur and potash, Reddy said the managements of the units had called on him to facilitate provision of the raw material. “We will shortly make recommendations to the Centre to help revive these units,” he said.