The Centre on Tuesday offered to increase the fertiliser quota to help farmers tackle the situation arising out of the deficient rainfall in 11 out of the 30 districts of the State.
Though 11 districts recorded deficit rainfall, the situation is gradually improving in eight districts due to recent rainfall, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat said. “We are ready to provide more fertilisers, particularly urea. However, the State Government must ensure their proper distribution among farmers,” Rawat told mediapersons here during his visit to the State.
While the State Government planned to supply about 9.66 lakh MT of fertilisers to farmers this season, the cultivators have so far procured and applied about 2.25 lakh MT of nutrients.
Rawat also held discussions with State Congress leaders at the Congress Bhavan here on issues relating to agricultural activities in the context of deficit rainfall.
Official sources said the State Government has already apprised the Centre of the deficient rainfall. Though the situation in some districts has slightly improved due to rainfall in the last four days, the average deficit for the State remained at 12.2 per cent by July-end.
Two districts __ Balasore and Deogarh __ have recorded deficit rainfall between 39 and 59 per cent. While Deogarh recorded 41 per cent deficit rainfall, Balasore was worst-hit in the State with a deficit of 55.6 per cent.
Other districts, which recorded deficit rainfall of over 20 per cent, are Keonjhar (-35.9 pc), Nuapada (-34 pc), Bhadrak (-31.2 pc), Mayurbhanj and Boudh (-28.1 pc each), Kendrapara (-24.1 pc) and Sundargarh (-23.3 pc).