Farmers worried as urea shortage continues
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 21 2021: Farmers utilised all means to sow paddy seeds despite getting lean rainfall but they are now forced to purchase urea at the rate of Rs 1200 per bag from the black markets and are facing serious financial issues as government did not provide adequate urea in time to them.

Regarding problem faced in getting urea by farmers of Napat village under Borayangbi GP of Kumbi assembly constituency, Napat Youth Development Organisation (NYDO) secretary Yumnam Ojit said that none of the farmers in the village possess land document and hence they submitted Aadhaar card to district agriculture office at Bishnupur to procure urea around 20 days back but they are yet to get any.

As timely application of urea is important for good harvest, farmers of the village are compelled to purchase urea from shops at the rate of Rs 1,200 per bag, he said, adding that farmers of Kumbi AC are suffering more than other constituencies in getting urea as there is no representative (MLA) of the constituency at present.

Farmers of Kumbi AC launched agitation recently on urea problem and were accordingly some of them were provided urea at government rate by the agriculture minister personally but there has been no such distribution again, Ojit said and urged government to take steps to provide urea to farmers of Kumbi.

On the other hand, Kumbi Kendra Progressive Farmers Association president Sanasam Dinesh informed media persons that paddy fields in Khajing Khombi Loukol, Sanden Loukol, Wangoo Naodamkhol Loukol, Wangoo Maning Sabal Loukol and Terakhong Loukol, where paddy seeds were sown late, will wither if urea fertilizer is not applied immediately.

He urged officials of district agriculture department to inspect paddy fields in these villages and provide urea accordingly.

Farmers of Sugnu AC, particularly belonging to Wangoo Thumkhong Loukol, also appealed to government to provide urea at the earliest.

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