NABARANGPUR: Shortage of seeds and fertilisers has hit farming activities in the district. Hoarding by traders is being attributed to the shortfall with farmers having to pay 30 to 40 per cent more than the cover price. Deputy Director of Agriculture B Sahu admitted to the demand-supply gap for this kharif season. According to Sahu, against the requirement of 32,000 MT urea, 17,500 MT has been supplied. Similarly, while the demand for DAP is 11,320 MT, so far 5,500 MT has been supplied. Only 16 MT of MoP, which is in high demand, has been supplied against the requirement of 15,050 MT. In addition, the district has so far received only 600 MT of complex fertiliser. To add to their misery, the MARKFED, an apex cooperative institution, has stopped direct sale of fertilisers. MARKFED sources said that it sells fertilisers only to retail traders. Retailers, on the other hand, alleged discrepancies in the supply and prices of fertilisers supplied by private wholesalers. The retailers are complaining that they are also not getting their quota of supply from the MARKFED. Alleging black marketing of fertilisers, District BJD president Jayadev Parida said a few traders are monopolising business in connivance with officials. The traders not only lend money to the farmers but offer seeds on credit and fertilisers and pesticides at a higher price in Umerkote area. The traders are also entering into oral agreement with farmers in fixing the purchase rate of their produce much below the support price announced by the Government, added Parida. He urged the administration to intervene and safeguard the interests of the farmers in the district. The current trend also hinted at the failure of banks in reaching out to the farmers in backward districts like Nabarangpur, where more than 90 per cent of the population depends on agriculture. The failure is being attributed to lack of initiative on bank’s part in meeting illiterate and poor farmers half-way. District Collector Sivabrata Dash said that for the last one year, he has been trying in vain to change the attitude of the bankers. Dash said necessary steps were being taken for proper distribution and sale of fertilisers. Surprise checks are also being conducted on fertiliser stores. The administration has already moved Paradeep Phosphates Ltd (PPL) for immediate supply of DAP and MARKFED too has been asked to sell fertilisers directly to the farmers, he added.
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