BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought intervention of Union chemicals and fertilizers minister Mansukh Mandaviya over short supply of fertilizers to Odisha.
Naveen, in a letter to Mandaviya, said though supply of fertilizers to Odisha in accordance with monthly movement plan was normal till April, there has been severe short supply of different fertilizers during May to July period.
“During the current Kharif season, till date, the state has receiving only 1,45,145 MT of urea against the allocation of 2,31,530 MT and agreed supply plan of 2,10,000 MT. Similarly, during the period, the state has received 97,763 MT of DAP (Di-ammonium phosphate) against the allocation of 1,52,000 MT and agreed supply plan of 1,45,000 MT,” said the chief minister.
The chief minister also pointed out about short supply of other fertilizers like MOP (muriate of potash) and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizer to the state.
Around 42,867 MT of MOP and 1,05,798 MT of NPK has been supplied against the allocation of 67,200 MT and 1,68,400 and agreed supply plan of 60,000 MT and 1,42,000 MT respectively, pointed out the chief minister.
“Overall, the supply of urea has been 62% against the allocation and 69% against the agreed supply plan. For other fertilizers, the supply amount stands in between 60% and 74%,” noted the chief minister.
Stating that the farmers in the state have suffered severe crop loss due to recent past Yaas and several cyclonic storms during the previous years, the chief minister underlined supply continuation of fertilizers to optimize their production.
“As mid-July to September is the peak consumption period for urea and July to August is the peak period of demand for all other fertilizers, short supply of fertilizers to the state at this juncture will adversely affect the agricultural production in the state and unnecessarily invite law and order situation in most of the districts,” said the chief minister.
Naveen demanded supply of fertilizers to Odisha as per the monthly agreed supply plan including the backlog of the previous months for welfare of the farming community in the state.
Earlier in June, agriculture minister Arun Sahoo had also written a letter to the then Union minister of chemicals and fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda regarding short supply of fertilizers to the state and demanded adequate supply of fertilizers to the state during the Kharif season.
