Nayagarh: Despite the warning issued by cooperation department minister Surya Narayan Patro that no trader can charge more than Rs 295 for a packet of fertilizer urea, the wholesalers here are selling them at Rs 330 Saturday, according to a report.
The soaring price of urea has added to the sufferings of the farmers who have been battling low rainfall in the district.
Minister Patro Friday promised action against the retailers who would sell the fertilizer at price more than what fixed by the government. But the retailers as well as the wholesalers were found going against the order openly. One of the traders said he sold the packet at Rs 330 as he was yet to receive the minister’s order.
The situation was worse in the villages where farmers were charged nearly Rs 350 a packet.
According to reports, paddy cultivation has been taken up in 98, 034 hectare of land in Nayagarh district. While the seeds have been sown in 70,180 hectare of land, saplings have been transplanted in 27,854 hectare. The administration has signed agreement with four companies to supply fertilizer to the farmers in the district. There are nine wholesaler counters and 162 retailing counters in the district.
According to the government announcement, the price of urea has been fixed at Rs 295 for a packet of 50 kg. Similarly, the price of other fertilizers including IFFCO NPK, DAP and gromor have been fixed at Rs 1,050, Rs 1,076 and Rs 1,122 respectively.
However, the wholesalers and retailers are charging nearly Rs 50 more on each packet violating the rule.
On the other hand, the farmers are left with no option but to buy the fertilizers at hiked prices.
Though the cooperation department has asked the cooperative societies to ensure that the farmers don’t face any trouble in getting fertilizers, the latter are not paying heed to it, many paddy growers alleged.
Besides, scarcity of fertilizer urea has also hit the farmers in Nayagarh. The district has so far received only 2,500 tonne of urea against the requirement of 5,000 tonnes.
When contacted, the deputy director of agriculture Laxmi Narayan Das said the farmers are opting for only urea which has resulted in the scarcity. They should use all types of fertilizers instead of only urea.
On the hiked price of the fertilizer, DDA Das said wholesalers often bring fertilizers from the depots in Berhampur and Cuttack due to shortage of godown in Nayagarh. The price is rising because of addition of transport cost, he pointed out.
He, however, promised to take action against the black marketers. PNN
