The Members of the State Assembly, cutting across party line, on Wednesday expressed concern over the looming fertiliser scarcity in the State and its increasing black-marketing, besides that of pesticides.
Raising the issue, Santosh Singh Saluja of Congress alleged that the traders were creating an artificial scarcity of fertilisers in order to make a fast buck.
Similarly Congress Member Adhiraj Panigrahi said farmers were forced to pay more towards transport cost of fertilisers as they come from far off places. The State Government should ensure fertilisers are available in nearest places, so that farmers are not forced to pay more, he demanded.
BJD Member Bhupinder Singh asked the Government to make available of DAP as farmers in western Odisha were in dire need of the fertiliser at a time when the cultivation has started. He said urea demand comes later in an agri-season. He also urged the Government to ensure adequate and timely distribution of fertilisers.
Congress Member Suresh Kumar Routray too echoed similar concern. He stated that fertilisers as well as seeds were not available with farmers and urged the Government to provide organic fertiliser.
Both ruling and opposition Members expressed serious concern over inadequate supply of fertilisers and lack of urgent action from the officials.
Responding to the questions, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain shifted the blame on the Central Government and said the Centre was not providing adequate fertilisers as per the agreement between the State and the Central Governments in the last five years.
Swain said the State Government had asked the Centre to provide 3.90 lakh MT fertilisers from April 1 to June 30; however, the Central Government was yet to provide 2,36,760 MT.
“The State Government has repeatedly written to the Centre regarding this but the Centre is turning a blind eye. Even States have no knowledge which State is getting how much of fertiliser,” Swain added.