BHUBANESWAR: Amid reports of widespread resentment among farmers over acute shortage and black marketing of chemical fertilisers in the state, leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has urged the Centre to step in to resolve the crisis.
In a letter to Union minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers JP Nadda, Naveen said farmers of the state have launched agitation due to non-availability of urea which has severely impacted kharif activities. “Short-supply of urea along with its black marketing and adulteration, is a major concern for our farmers at the start of kharif season. In many districts particularly in tribal ones, farmers are on agitation path due to non-availability of urea. If not addressed timely, it may cause serious disruption of farm activities which will impact production and also affect the livelihood of the farmers,” he said.
He said while the state government has claimed of having a stock of 7.9 lakh tonne of urea, the farmers are facing a major problem in availing the fertiliser. “Urea is being sold at a higher price than the rate approved by the government. MARKFED, the government’s designated distribution agency, is supplying subsidised fertilisers to private traders instead of farmers. Despite lower fertiliser use in Odisha, supply chain mismanagement and corruption has pushed our farmers to edge,” he said.
Stating that agriculture, which provides livelihood to more than 70 per cent of the population, is the mainstay of the state’s economy, he called for immediate crackdown on private dealers, MARKFED officials and primary agriculture cooperative societies who are responsible for the artificial scarcity of fertilisers in the state.
While urging Nadda to take urgent measures for adequate supply of urea and other fertilisers to the state, Naveen also pointed to the delay in establishment and operationalisation of the Talcher fertiliser plant by the Centre, whose foundation stone was laid in 2018. The BJD chief said the people of the state were promised that it would be commissioned within three years. But, it is yet to see the light of the day even after eight years.