Centre, Odisha spar over fertilizer shortage 

The alleged shortage of fertilizer at peak of current Kharif season has led to a tug-of-war between Centre and Odisha.

After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik shot off a letter to Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizer highlighting severe shortage of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP) in Odisha, Bhagwanth Khuba, the Deputy Minister in the Union Ministry, ruled out any shortage.

“I extend my thanks to the Department of Fertilizers for ensuring supply of Urea as per requirement of Odisha up to end of July. However, there is a severe shortfall in the supply of DAP and shortfall in supply of MOP to the State against the requirement,” Odisha CM pointed out in his letter.

“During the current kharif season as on date July 31, the overall availability of DAP has been 69% against the requirement with a shortfall of 46,877 metric tonnes. There is huge demand for these fertilizers as there has been a good spell of monsoon after dry spell which has triggered the agricultural operation to a full swing,” he said.

“The State has suffered a loss in crop production during the previous year due to natural calamities such as Yaas, Jawad and Gulab. It is envisaged to make good the loss with a good harvest expecting a near normal monsoon in line with the forecast of IMD,” Mr. Patnaik remarked.

“The supply of most critical input, fertilizer, should be as per the requirement. Besides, the August-September happens to be the peak demand period for different fertilizers and a short supply during this juncture would adversely affect the agricultural production in the State. I request your personal intervention for enabling the supply of the fertilizers to the State as per monthly requirement including the backlog of the previous months in the greater interest of the farmers,” he urged the Union Minister.

Mr. Khuba, Union Minister of State of Chemicals and Fertilizers and New and Renewable Energy, said, “it does not behove of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to politicise on the issue of farmer and fertilizer. It is also not in the interest of farmers.”

“The Narendra Modi government has been meeting the fertilizer demand of farmers of all the States for the past eight years. Despite rise in price of urea, DAP and NPK in international market, the government has managed to keep the price under control in the country including Odisha by increasing subsidy on fertilizer,” he said.