PARADIP: Deficit seems to be the buzzword in the farming community of Jagatsinghpur district. Scanty rainfall, inadequate irrigation facility and now shortage of fertilisers and pesticides. The farmers here are forced to buy them at a higher price from the open market. To protest black marketing of fertilisers, Nab Nirman Krushak Sangathan has threatened to stage a rail roko on August 5. It is being alleged that though fertilisers are produced in huge quantity by Paradeep Phosphate Ltd (PPL) and Indian Farmers Fertilizers Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), farmers continue to suffer due to monopoly and callous attitude of the plant officials. They also hint at unscrupulous nexus between the officials and the traders. The district requires 25,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fertilisers, but has received only 4,000 MT till date. According to reports, Gromor is being sold at anything between ` 800 and ` 900 per bag against the official price of ` 715. It is required during transplantation and hence, in huge demand. Similarly, urea, DAP and potash are being sold at higher prices, farmers alleged. According to the Sangathan, the fertilisers are mostly sold to sub-dealers in bulk, while farmers find it difficult to procure even a single bag. Chief Volunteer of Anchalika Kissan Club Bishnu Charana Swain said that two plants should instead supply fertilisers at the plant site and save transportation charges for both farmers, retailers and wholesalers. Farmers too have sought fertilisers from plant site at subsidised rate.To tide over the crisis, the district administration recently convened a meeting with PPL and IFFCO officials for supply of the required quantity of fertilisers. PPL supplied 435 MT fertiliser and IFFCO 110 MT following the meeting.District Agriculture Officer Nilamani Das admitted to the acute shortage of complex fertilisers in the district for the last 10 to 15 days leading to black marketing in different areas of this district. Squads have been pressed into service to check black marketing, he added.
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