No need to worry of fertilizer shortage, Department assures
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 24 2020:
The Department of Agriculture has assured farmers that all efforts are being carried out to meet the demand of fertilizers in the State, with 1,74,000 bags already in the process of distribution.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, an official of the Department informed that around 1,74,000 bags of urea have been lifted from the Jiribam Railway Station since the month of April and are being distributed to the farmers through the respective district agriculture offices.
Every year, the Agriculture Department makes fertilizers available to farmers of Manipur through the companies; Indian Farmer Fertilizer Co-operative Ltd, Indian Potash Ltd and Brahmapurtri Valley Fertilizer Co-operative Ltd, Assam, he added.
He further informed that the farmers are given fertilizers only after they submit a copy of land patta and Aadhar card.
Those who could not furnish the said documents are not given fertilizers, as distribution of fertilizers are conducted following certain norms.
The official also explained that the delay in procuring fertilizers is because of the lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic, and that the State Government has been giving top priority to procuring food grains.
The Department has approached the Minister concerned to bring in the remaining fertilizers to the State via train, he said and added that the process to bring in the said fertilizers will commence from June 26.Another problem being faced by the Department in fertilizer distribution is the non-availability of labour to unload the bags from the train and then loading it to the trucks, he said.
He asserted that the repairing of Jiribam National Highway which collapsed after a landslide, should be completed just in time when the fertilizer reaches the State.
It may also be mentioned that the fertilizers are made available to the farmers at a subsidized rate of Rs 266.80 per bag by the Agriculture Department.