Naveen urges PM for supply of full quota of fertilisers by September end

Expressing displeasure over the short supply of fertilisers, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure supply of full quota of urea by the end of September.

“Though Union ministry of Chemical and Fertiliser has committed to supply 0.45 million tonne of urea during the April –September (Kharif 2012). The actual supply is less than half of what was promised to the state at 0.199 million tonne till August 23, “said Patnaik in a letter to Singh.

He urged Singh to ensure supply of at least one lakh tonne of urea within the next one week.

 

Under the ‘Supply Plan’ of the Centre, 71,000 tonnes of imported urea were to be supplied to the state during August, but the vessels carrying the fertilizer are still in high seas.

Patnaik further pointed out that the small and marginal farmers are unable to afford the balanced use of chemical fertilisers as the prices of Di-Ammonium Phosphate(DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP) and Complex fertilisers have increased by more than 100 per cent since April last year.

He said, the recent pricing and supplying policies of chemical fertilisers of the central government have caused a great deal of imbalance leading to widespread of resentment.

The letter pointed out that Odisha is one of the seven states currently implementing the Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) scheme and contributing significantly for providing food security to the nation.

For safeguarding the interest of the farming community, Patnaik sought the intervention of the Prime Minister for downward revision of the chemical fertilizer prices.

In a letter to Union minister of Chemical and Fertiliser earlier this month, Odisha government had urged the Centre to direct fertiliser companies to extend 45 days credit cooperative organisation for better distribution of fertilisers to the farmers.

In a bid to stop hoarding and black marketing of fertilisers, the state government has asked the police, vigilance department and district administrations to intensify raids on unscrupulous traders.