COIMBATORE: The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers gave approval to Thudiyalur Cooperative Agricultural Service Society (TUCAS) to register their application for resuming compound fertiliser (NPK) production.
Following a request by Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha MP KRN Rajeshkumar, the ministry has given approval to ask the Directorate of Agriculture in Tamil Nadu to register their unit online portal under the union ministry by October 27. According to officials from the agricultural department, the ministry suspended the production of NPK fertilisers in TUCAS in February this year citing administrative reasons. Following the stoppage of NPK fertiliser production in TUCAS, which is the major producer of fertiliser in the state, farmers said that cultivation was affected.
Meanwhile, the ministry has given primary sanction to register the TUCAS unit for fertiliser production on October 14. In the letter to the ministry, the MP had pointed out that due to technical reasons, the TUCAS administration could not register their application in the ministry’s online portal. He appealed to the ministry to provide an additional time period for the registration.
Following the appeal, the ministry has extended the registration to four units, including TUCAS, till October 27. Farmers who have registered as members of the society have welcomed the time limit extended by the ministry.
KS Kalisami, a member of the society said, “Farmers were finding it difficult to get NPK fertilisers after the suspension of production in TUCAS. We had requested the state and central governments several times to lift the ban. The resumption of production will solve the shortage of fertiliser in the market.” Officials from TUCAS said that the production of NPK fertilisers will begin soon.