Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, reviewing the availability of DAP fertilizer with the senior officers of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department on Sunday, made it clear that there is no shortage of DAP in the State and there is no need to panic buying among farmers.

Saini said that in October 2023 during the Rabi season, the total consumption of DAP was 1,19,470 Metric Tons (MT), whereas the consumption in October 2024 is 1,14,000 MT. The availability of the DAP in the state is 24,000 MT as on Sunday and rake planning has been done for daily infusion of DAP for the farmers.

The Chief Minister further said that during the 2023 Rabi season, a total of 72697 MT was consumed in November. As a result of the State Government's efforts, the Centre has allocated 1,10,000 MT of DAP fertilizer for the month of November, of which 41,600 MT has been planned on the rake movement for the first week of November and another 40,000 MT for the second week and will taper to another 20,000 MT in the third week of November 2024.

Meanwhile, an official spokesperson informed that the rake planning for DAP has been prepared. Bhiwani, Dadri, Rohtak, Mahendergarh, Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshetra and Jind would receive rakes on November 3, Hisar, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Rohtak on November 4, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa and Jind on November 5, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Panchkula and Yamunanagar on November 6 and Palwal, Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram would receive rakes on the November 7. 

The Government assured that all the districts are being covered. There will be no shortage of DAP, and there is no need for panic buying. The CM has consistently been in touch with Union Minister JP Nadda to ensure timely supply of the allocated fertilizer to the State.

An official of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department said that the farmers have utilized 1.15 lakh MT DAP fertilizer in October this year compared to 1.19 lakh MT during the corresponding period last year. “This year, the Centre allocated 85,000 MT DAP to the state in October against the promise of 1.10 LMT supply. However, the state already had 24,500 MT DAP fertilizer. That way, the state has no shortage of DAP fertilizer and the farmers need not to worry,” he added.

Haryana has received a substantial supply of 60,000 MT of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), with 29,000 already distributed to farmers and the remaining stock strategically positioned at market places. NPK is a balanced fertilizer providing all essential nutrients and is recommended as an effective substitute for DAP, the officer said.

Moreover, the Rabi season officially commenced from October 1, marking a pivotal moment for Haryana’s agricultural sector. With targets set, wheat is projected to be sown across an impressive 25 lakh hectares, while oil seed crops will cover a substantial 10 lakh hectares.

About 80 percent of oil seed crop sowing has already been completed, and wheat sowing is progressing at a brisk pace. The farmers who have sown mustard this season have been desperate for the supply of DAP fertilizer. At several places, the police were called to control the crowd of farmers who had gathered in front of the offices of cooperative societies for the fertilizer.

With the wheat season also beginning in the state, the Haryana Government has made its preparations for the supply of Urea fertilizer too. This season, the projected total consumption of Urea stands at 11LMT and the state already boasts a robust inventory of 4.26 lakh MT of the fertilizer. Urea is India’s most widely used fertilizer, with its consumption or sales rising from 26.7 million tonnes (MT) to 35.7 MT between 2009-10 and 2022-23, said sources in the Department.