Bolangir: The farming community is already battered by the COVID-induced restrictions and erratic monsoon. At this time, short supply and black marketing of fertilizer have added to their woes when the farming season is at its peak in Bolangir district. This is in sharp contrast to the state and the central governments’ stress on farming to tide over the aftereffects of the pandemic.
The government laid stress on extending cooperation in supply of seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and agriculture implements. But the ground reality in the district is the reverse.
Like previous years, farmers in many parts of the district have been facing difficulties in availing fertilizers amid allegation of black marketing.
At this time, paddy farmers badly require urea and other fertilizers for growth of plants. “Urea is not available with the dealers and the primary agricultural co-operative societies (PACS) in the district. Wholesalers and dealers are deliberately creating artificial shortage of fertilizers,” a farmer alleged.
All such illegality is going on in the knowledge of the administration and officials of the agriculture department, farmers lamented.
They pointed out that black marketeers are ruling the roost in the district where only three percent of the land is said to be irrigated.
The farmers said the government has made a provision to supply fertilizers at subsidized rates through the agriculture department and the cooperative societies, but this has become a farce.
“As farmers fail to get fertilizers at PACSs, they have to buy from traders at prices much higher than Rs 266.50 per packet (government rate),” the farmers said.
Zilla Krushak Sangh and farmers have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister about black marketing and short supply of urea.
“The district agriculture officer has failed to contain the black marketing. The Collector and the Sub-collector should take immediate action against the illegal hoarders,” lamented MLA Narasingh Mishra.
It was learnt that this year, the district requires 22,300 tonnes of urea, but by July 13, the district was supplied with 19,654 tonnes of fertilizers.
Radhakant Pradhan, a farmer of Uparjhar, had talked to the district agriculture officer in this regard a few days ago.
District agriculture officer Ashok Kumar Mohanty said, “Following the allegation, I had visited Titilagarh, Saintala and Kantabanji areas and took stock of the black marketing of urea. But urea is well stocked in those areas. 158 PACSs in the district have short supply of fertilizers. The shortage will be plugged in a few days.”
PNN
