BENGALURU: With China cutting down the supply of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) to India due to a host of factors, including political brinkmanship, farmers in the state are facing a fertiliser shortage at the peak kharif season.
The state agriculture department and experts are urging farmers to use Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium instead of DAP.
Karnataka needs 4 lakh tonnes of DAP for the ongoing kharif season and another 2 lakh tonnes for rabi. The Centre supplies DAP to states based on their average use for the last three years. The DAP quantity to be supplied for the kharif season is allocated in January and for rabi in July. This year, the Centre allocated 4 lakh tonnes to Karnataka, but so far only 1.89 lakh tonnes hase been supplied.
Agriculture department sources said they had a stock of around 76,000 tonnes from last year. “We have been able to distribute 1.9 lakh tonnes so far, including from the last year’s stock. For rabi, allocation will be in July-end. We don’t know how much we will get,” said sources.
An official said India imports 48% of its annual DAP requirement from other countries, mostly China. Apart from political reasons, China’s reduction in exports is also because it is using some ingredients of DAP for other products. The remaining requirement is met with production from within the India. But for this, India depends on Russia and other countries for phosphoric compounds, the cost of which has gone up as ships have to avoid the Karachi route after the Indo-Pak conflict, said an official requesting anonymity.
AB Patil, President of Indian Institute of Agricultural Technology, said they are insisting and encouraging farmers to use NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) fertilisers.
Expert says farmers must opt for organic fertilisers
Patil said depending on the crop, farmers can apply the ratio of these components. Moreover, soil also needs potassium. “We are also urging farmers to go for organic fertilisers for all types of farming,” he added.
A few weeks ago, Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy had written to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers JP Nadda about the shortage. He stated that the Centre had supplied 4.91 lakh tonnes of DAP during 2024-25 for both kharif and rabi seasons, while the consumption was 5.85 lakh tonnes, which was met using the previous stock.
“Due to the timely supply of required quantity and the opening balance from the previous year, the state has successfully completed the kharif and rabi summer seasons with an increase in food production as compared to the previous year,’’ he stated.
Cheluvarayaswamy urged Nadda to make up the shortfall, failing which the state will face a shortage of DAP fertiliser that could lead to unrest among farmers.
Agriculture Department sources said farmers are already seen raising the issue of DAP shortage at Raitha Samparka Kendras in many places across the state.
SOIL MATTERS: Why DAP
Farmers use DAP to feed phosphorus to the soil which is essential for plant growth. DAP use helps overall growth of plants, including roots, flowering and fruiting, enhancing the yield. The nitrogen component supports vegetative growth.