KENDRAPARA: Fertiliser scarcity has come back to haunt Kendrapara farmers who are already reeling under the devastating impact of cyclone Yaas and the resultant flood two months back. The shortage of fertilisers has cast a cloud on timely sowing of paddy and other crops during the kharif season in the district. Scarcity of the essential agricultural input is not a new problem for farmers of Kendrapara who struggle with the crisis every year.
President of the district unit of Krusak Sabha Umesh Chandra Singh alleged that thousands of farmers are unable to procure the requisite quantity of fertilisers due to the short supply by the agriculture department. Many farmers are being forced to buy fertilisers at exorbitant rates from black marketeers and hoarders.
Sources said while the livelihood of many farmers is at stake, several pleas for adequate fertiliser supply have fallen on the deaf ears of the authorities. Mrutunjaya Samal, a farmer of Bagada village, has cultivated paddy over three acre of land. He said, “I came to Kendrapara town on Tuesday to purchase fertiliser but failed. The paddy saplings in my field will perish if I don’t get fertilisers soon.”
Following the recent rain, farmers started agricultural activities with a hope of bumper harvest. But the fertiliser crisis has made them worried. Farmer leader Bijaya Parida said the scarcity during this crucial stage of cultivation will affect crop yield in the district. If the authorities do not act fast, paddy saplings over vast tracts of farmland will wither away, he added.
Contacted district agriculture officer Prafulla Moharana said of the total 1,82,184 hectare (ha) of agriculture land in Kendrapara, farmers have grown paddy over 1,23,000 ha for which they need around 14,400 tonne of fertilisers. “We have already received 6,127 tonne of fertilisers from the government so far and the rest will arrive in the coming days. Stringent action would be taken against those found hoarding or selling spurious fertilisers,” he added.