BHUBANESWAR: The government on Friday asked collectors to keep a watch on use of agricultural grade urea in non-farm sectors such as plywood, cattle feed, diesel exhaust fluid and resin industry.
Sources said that the government is committed to ensure availability and smooth distribution of fertiliser and avoid any kind of hoarding, black marketing and misuse of fertilizers especially urea for non-agricultural purposes.
Fertilizer manufacturers have been instructed to supply 60 per cent of total fertilizers to State Co-operative Marketing Federation (MARKFED) to ensure supply through primary agricultural credit society (PACS) and large area multipurpose cooperative society (LAMPCS).
Since PACS and LAMPCS have larger storage spoace, these organisations will function as fertilizer wholesalers.
Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta who reviewed the situation said fertilizer availability will become normal soon. Stating that the state has fertilizer in required quantities, he said there is no problem at present.
Currently, MARKFED has 66,918 metric tonne of fertilizer in stock, the minister said and assured of availability. The government is monitoring IFFCO’s production status closely, he said and added that steps will be taken to ensure supply is not affected if the raw material issue persists.
Collectors of all border districts have been instructed to keep a close watch on illegal diversion of fertilizers to neighbouring states. Stating that rigorous enforcement is being carried out at dealer points to prevent hoarding and diversion, official sources said 3,574 raids have been conducted on dealer points and 312 notices of stop sale issued.