Minister seeks consignment of urea to state

BHUBANESWAR: With the demand for chemical fertilisers galloping after low pressure- induced rains across the State, many districts have reported scarcity of urea and muriate of potash (MoP). Black marketing of fertilisers has also been reported from several districts including Koraput, Jagatsinghpur and Dhenkanal.While the State faced a short supply of 48,000 tonnes of urea in August, the demand for the current month is 1.11 lakh tonnes. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has intimated the State that 50 per cent of the State’s demand will be met from import. In fact, one of the two vessels carrying 70,000 tonnes of urea has already berthed at Vizag port. Another ship carrying 32,000 tonnes of urea is coming to Paradip port.Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy who  left for Delhi on Wednesday is scheduled to meet Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Jena on Thursday and request for allotment of the entire consignment to the State. Official sources told this paper that the Fertiliser Ministry has intimated the State about allotment of 20,000 tonnes of urea from Vizag. The sources are confident that the entire consignment of the ship coming to Paradip will be made available to the State. The State has adequate stock of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP). While there is a demand for 19,000 tonne for the current month, there is a stock of about 23,000 tonnes, sources in the Agriculture Directorate said. However, MoP is 50 per cent short in supply. The Centre has allocated 11,000 tonnes of MoP to the State against the demand of 22,000 tonnes. Still dubbed as a low fertiliser consuming State, the demand for chemical fertilisers is growing steadily. As the State is facing short supply of inorganic fertilisers from the beginning of the kharif season, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik broached the subject with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting him to ensure that the Centre made adequate provision of chemical fertilisers for the State. The State was awarded by the Prime Minister for its high food production among the grade-II states. He sought the cooperation of the Prime Minister to encourage farmers of the State to further increase foodgrain production.