JAGATSINGHPUR: Shortage of fertilisers in Jagatsinghpur district, the home turf of Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout, has worried farmers who are forced to purchase fertilisers from open market at higher rates. Worse, neither the district administration nor agriculture officials are taking any steps to check the illegal sale. Among the fertilisers, diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser is the most sought after. The district has two fertiliser production units - IFFCO and Paradeep Phosphates Ltd - that produce DAP and urea. However, these units have been unable to meet DAP and urea requirements of farmers. According to Agriculture department reports, only 2,484 MT of DAP has been supplied to the district so far instead of the requirement of 4,500 MT.
Similarly, against the requirement of 8,500 MT of urea, only 4,190 MT has been supplied till now. The requirement of potash is 2,000 MT and supply has been only 1,217 MT.
Due to the shortage, prices of fertilisers have skyrocketed in the open market. While the government price of a 50 kg bag of urea is `298, retailers are selling it for `450. Apparently, modernisation work at Cuttack railway station has affected transportation of fertilisers to the district. East Coast Railways has restricted plying of goods trains on Cuttack-Paradip railway line as a result of which, the required quantity of fertilisers cannot reach Jagatsinghpur district.
Agriculture department Deputy Director Narendra Kumar Behera said the IFFCO fertiliser unit has not supplied the required quantity of urea due to its defunct machineries as a result of which, the Agriculture department has procured IPL, Nagarjuna and Kissan brands of urea to be supplied to farmers. On Tuesday, 390 MT of Kissan brand urea was supplied in the district, he added.SHORTAGE of fertilisers in Jagatsinghpur district, the home turf of Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout, has worried farmers who are forced to purchase fertilisers from open market at higher rates. Worse, neither the district administration nor agriculture officials are taking any steps to check the illegal sale.
Among the fertilisers, diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser is the most sought after. The district has two fertiliser production units - IFFCO and Paradeep Phosphates Ltd - that produce DAP and urea. However, these units have been unable to meet DAP and urea requirements of farmers. According to Agriculture department reports, only 2,484 MT of DAP has been supplied to the district so far instead of the requirement of 4,500 MT.
Similarly, against the requirement of 8,500 MT of urea, only 4,190 MT has been supplied till now. The requirement of potash is 2,000 MT and supply has been only 1,217 MT.
Due to the shortage, prices of fertilisers have skyrocketed in the open market. While the government price of a 50 kg bag of urea is `298, retailers are selling it for `450. Apparently, modernisation work at Cuttack railway station has affected transportation of fertilisers to the district. East Coast Railways has restricted plying of goods trains on Cuttack-Paradip railway line as a result of which, the required quantity of fertilisers cannot reach Jagatsinghpur district.
Agriculture department Deputy Director Narendra Kumar Behera said the IFFCO fertiliser unit has not supplied the required quantity of urea due to its defunct machineries as a result of which, the Agriculture department has procured IPL, Nagarjuna and Kissan brands of urea to be supplied to farmers. On Tuesday, 390 MT of Kissan brand urea was supplied in the district, he added.
Headache for farmers
Only 2,484 MT of DAP has been supplied to the district so far instead of the requirement
of 4,500 MT.
Against the requirement of 8,500 MT of urea, only 4,190 MT has been supplied till now.
The requirement of potash is 2,000 MT and supply has been only 1,217 MT.
While the government price of a 50 kg bag of urea costs L298, retailers are selling it for L450.