THOOTHUKUDI: Agriculture officials, alleviating farmers' worries over potential fertiliser shortage, said the district has an adequate stock of fertilisers to meet the demands during the upcoming rabi season and added that Triple Superphosphate (TSP) could be used as a substitute basal application fertiliser for Diammonium Phosphate (DAP).
Every year, minor millet crops and pulses are cultivated across the 1.8 lakh hectares of rain-fed tracts in Ottapidaram, Kayathar, Kovilpatti, Ettayapuram, Vilathikulam and Pudur. A farmer, who has taken up cultivation this year, said the district administration must ensure an adequate supply of fertilisers as shortages lead to illegal hoarding and crop failures. Several farmers also condemned forced tagging in fertiliser sales.
According to officials, the cooperative societies and private sellers in the district have stocked a total of 3,812 tonnes of DAP, 3,702 tonnes of complex fertilisers, 2,979 tonnes of urea, 703 tonnes of potash and 630 tonnes of superphosphate, enough to kick start the rabi season. In addition, the district administration had demanded SPIC and IFFCO to supply 1,000 tonnes of DAP, the officials said.
Regarding the farmers' apprehension of DAP shortage, Joint Director (Agriculture) Periyasamy told TNIE that TSP, which has 48% phosphorus, could be applied along with urea to boost early crop growth. "Since DAP shortage occurs during the peak of cultivation, the availability of TSP has been stepped up. While private sellers have a stock of 400 tonnes and cooperative societies have 200 tonnes, another load of 200 tonnes of TSP will be disbursed," he said.
Meanwhile, several farmers said they have taken up the cultivation of maize, corn, black gram, green gram, cotton and oil seeds this year, despite the erratic rainfall patterns during November and December, which have been observed over recent years. S Rajendran, a farmer, said a sudden spurt of rain, unleashing in a day or two, could cause extreme crop damage and a huge financial loss.
Another farmer, A Varadharajan, said the government has not yet disbursed the compensation or insurance for the crops damaged last December. Every year, farmers are facing huge losses back-to-back and they have obtained private loans to pursue the cultivation this year, he said.