Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and both ministers of state for agriculture, Ram Nath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary, unanimously supported the need to make fertiliser available adequately and on time. They also emphasised the need to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers after many states, including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, raised the issue of a shortage of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP).
“Yes, there is a need to reduce use of chemical fertilisers. But it has to automatically come with the growth in adoption of organic and natural farming. Today there is a need for chemical fertilisers, which should be available to the farmers,” Chouhan said, addressing the annual Rabi conference in Delhi.
However, he also asked State agriculture ministers to distribute fertilisers more judiciously in all areas.
Later, addressing the media, Chouhan denied any shortage of DAP and tried to play down the issue, saying there had been a delay in the transit period. It is taking 45 days now to reach India, compared to 14 days earlier after the conflict in the Middle East.
The latest data show that DAP sales fell to 7.76 lakh tonnes (lt) in September, 51 per cent lower than the previous month’s 15.7 lt. Monthly DAP sales in September were reported at 11.15 lt in 2022, 5.96 lt in 2021, 7.65 lt in 2020, and 6.33 lt in 2019.
At the conference, fertiliser secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra said that a vessel from Morocco has already started via Cape of Good Hope, carrying 50,000 tonnes of DAP. He explained that due to the conflict, the Red Sea route is almost closed, as no ship is ready to take it. He claimed that due to efforts made in the last three months, adequate DAP will reach India in October-November. He advised states to micro-manage the fertiliser distribution.
But Thakur said that timely and adequate fertiliser supply is key to achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses. On the other hand, Choudhary suggested that chemical fertiliser should be used according to the soil’s requirements, for which testing should be increased, and the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) should create more awareness among farmers.
Earlier, the agriculture minister of Uttar Pradesh, Surya Pratap Shahi, complained that the state has not received the adequate quantity of DAP allotted by the Centre. “Chemical fertiliser is needed to achieve our targetted production and unless it is made available Rabi production will be impacted. Only 32 per cent of the DAP and Complex allotted for October has been received, which is highly insufficient,” Shahi said, seeking Chouhan’s intervention.
“You may reduce 1 lakh tonnes from the allotted quantity of DAP and Complex and supply the remaining this month,” the UP minister added, citing the very high demand for these fertilisers.
Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, who spoke in Punjabi, also sought an adequate supply of DAP for the state.