Karnataka has appealed to the Centre to allot an additional one lakh tonnes of urea to the State in the wake of massive amount of sowing taken up by farmers in kharif season.
Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil met Union Fertilizers Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda in New Delhi on Thursday with this request. In a memorandum to the Union Minister, Mr. Patil pointed out that the State had kept a buffer stock of about one lakh tonnes of urea to make up for any exigencies such as delay in arrival of rakes carrying fertilizers etc. But the buffer stock has been exhausted as there has been an increase in sowing of land by about 20% when compared with that during the previous year, he said.
He appealed to the Centre to replenish Karnataka’s buffer stock of urea by sanctioning an additional one lakh tonnes. According to an official release, the Union Minister assured the State of ensuring that it did not face shortage of urea.
It may be noted that several areas of the State, especially the rain-fed areas such as Ramanagaram district, are facing shortage of urea as there is a mad rush to buy the fertilizer following good rains.
