Flagging scarcity of fertilisers amid sowing of rabi crops, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi mentioned on Saturday that the state has obtained lower than 25% of its allotment of DAP (Diammonium phosphate) for October.
Talking on the Nationwide Convention on Agriculture – Rabi Marketing campaign 2024, organised by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shahi mentioned, “In comparison with our allotment of DAP for the month of October, we have now obtained lower than 25% of our DAP and NPK [Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium].”
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Agriculture Ministers of Punjab, Odisha, Gujarat, and Arunachal Pradesh had been current on the dais. “Our cropped space is about 135-140 lakh hectares for which we require quite a lot of chemical fertilisers… Proper now, it’s a precedence. It’s wanted. I had spoken to the Fertiliser Secretary two days in the past. Mananiya Nadda-ji (BJP nationwide president J P Nadda) se baat nahin ho payi thi (Couldn’t communicate to Nadda-ji),” Shahi mentioned, urging Chouhan to intervene within the matter. “They’ll scale back 1 lakh tonne from our allocation of DAP and NPK for the month of October and supply the remaining… Our inventory of DAP is half of what we had in October final 12 months. Daily, the sale of DAP/NPK is round 42,000-43,000 tonnes. If this tempo continues, our inventory will final solely 10 days. In such a scenario we may have an issue in sustaining the provision to sale factors. It will have an effect on our Rabi marketing campaign. Subsequently, I need to request you [Chouhan] that if efforts are made on this path, will probably be good,” Shahi mentioned. When Chouhan addressed the gathering, he mentioned no matter “suggestions” has come from the states is true. “Fertilisers ought to be out there. The Fertilizer Secretary can be sitting right here, no matter issues have been raised right here, he will need to have taken word of them… We must always have some concern…,” Chouhan mentioned.
Highlighting the steps taken by the federal government to make sure availability of fertilisers, Chouhan mentioned the Centre offered a fertiliser subsidy of `1.94 lakh crore final 12 months and this 12 months, a provision of `1.68 lakh crore has been made within the Union Price range. Along with this, a bundle was additionally given, he mentioned. Chouhan mentioned import of fertilisers was delayed by 18 days because of an extended route taken in wake of the Russia-Ukraine battle. “Typically, delays occur because of components past our management,” he mentioned, including that states too want to make sure correct distribution of fertilisers in order that it reaches the supposed beneficiary farmers.
Chouhan mentioned, “We have to transfer in direction of natural and pure farming to extend productiveness and scale back dependency on chemical substances and fertilisers.”
He additional mentioned a committee has been constituted to scale back the price of transportation to scale back the hole between procurement value and sale value. The nationwide goal of meals grain manufacturing in 2024-25 shall be 341.55 million tonnes, Chouhan mentioned.
