Agri Minister assures direct fertilizer supply
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 27 2018: Agriculture Minister V Hangkhanlian has assured that fertilizers would be provided to farmers directly through District Agriculture Offices.

Speaking to media persons at his Secretariat office this afternoon, Hangkhanlian said that there are fertilizers in stock even though two months' quota could not be lifted due to disconnection of Imphal-Dimapur highway following landslides in Nagaland.

Farmers may not get fertilizers to the quantities they wish but the Government has been working to ensure that farmers get essential quantities of fertilizers.

Fertilizers would be distributed to farmers through DAOs from tomorrow.

It would be quite convenient if farmers come with photostat copies of the pattas of their paddy fields when they come to buy fertilizers, said the Agriculture Minister.

The State's quota of fertilizers given by the Central Government is 20,000 MT.

While 15,000 MT should be lifted by the department, the remaining 5,000 MT should be lifted by private dealers.

So far, the department has shipped in 1,57,922 bags of fertilizers from Bhramaputra Valley Fertilizers Corp Ltd (BVFCL), Namrup while private dealers have shipped in around 1.05 lakh bags.

Altogether 78,000 bags have been distributed to farmers by the department while 61,000 bags have been distributed through ML As and Ministers.

As for the private dealers, they have been selling fertilizers without giving any subsidy, Hangkhanlian said.

Due to repeated landslides in Nagaland, many trucks laden with fertilizers still cannot reach Imphal.

The State's monthly quota of fertilizers for July and August has not been lifted till date, he said.

As per the Ministry of Agriculture's guideline, monthly quota of fertilizers cannot be lifted in advance.

Nonetheless, the department has started shipping in fertilizers using light vehicles which are currently stranded at Dimapur, Hangkhanlian added.

Additional Chief Secretary Letkhogin Haokip and Agriculture Director Ph Rajendro were also present at the press meet.

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