Alternative Fertilizers in High Demand as DAP Supply Struggles in Rajasthan
There has been a huge increase in the demand for DAP, SSP and NPK fertilizers during the sowing of Rabi season crops. In such a situation, many efforts are being made by the state governments to provide DAP fertilizer to the farmers. In this regard, Rajasthan Agriculture Commissioner Chinmayi Gopal said that the state government is continuously making efforts to improve the DAP supply in the state. Along with this, farmers are being advised to use SSP and NPK as an alternative to DAP fertilizer.
It is the result of the efforts of the Agriculture Department that this year farmers have used alternative fertilizers instead of DAP. According to the Agriculture Commissioner, this year there has been a significant increase in the use of alternative fertilizers instead of DAP.
20 thousand metric tons of DAP will arrive in 2 to 3 days
The Agriculture Commissioner informed that the supply of DAP fertilizer in the country is largely dependent on foreign imports. Due to reduced imports this year, the gap between demand and supply of DAP has increased across the country, which has affected Rajasthan along with other states. During the Rabi season this year, 2 lakh 8 thousand metric tonnes (74 percent) of DAP has been supplied in the state against the demand of 2 lakh 81 thousand metric tonnes in the months of October and November. At present, a stock of 41 thousand metric tonnes of DAP is available in the state, which is sufficient for 10 days on the basis of average daily DAP consumption and 20 thousand metric tonnes are going to be supplied in the next 2-3 days.
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The Secretary of Agriculture and Horticulture informed that the State Government is continuously making efforts to supply more and more DAP by coordinating with the Government of India. Special quality control campaigns are being run from time to time by the Agriculture Department to curb the black marketing, hoarding and fake fertilizers.
Action against black marketing and hoarding of fertilizers
According to the Agriculture Commissioner, an intensive pre-Rabi season quality control campaign was conducted from September 15, under which departmental fertilizer inspectors inspected 5478 establishments of agricultural input sellers, manufacturers and retailers across the state and on finding black marketing, hoarding and irregularities, show cause notices were issued to 618, sales were banned on 58, 39 authorization letters were suspended, fertilizers were seized from 8 establishments and authorization letters of 7 sellers were cancelled and FIR was registered against 5 firms.
Under the fertilizer seizure proceedings, 3639 bags of DAP, 7046 bags of Urea, 540 bags of SSP and 20 bags of Zinc Sulphate were seized from seven illegal warehouses of Bansal Fertilizer Seed Store, Sikri Deeg without authorization letter and were confiscated by the District Collector and District Magistrate.
Rajasthan’s Fertilizer Supply: 41,000 MT DAP Available, More Coming Soon
A total of 41.51 metric tonnes of NPK and zinc sulphate were seized in Jaipur district and 305 sacks of fake DAP and potash driven from molasses (PDM) were seized from illegal warehouses in Bikaner. An FIR was filed under the Essential Commodities Act 1955 in the office of District Collector and District Magistrate, Jaipur and Bikaner. A special quality control campaign will be conducted again till the end of day today, 30 November 2024 to ensure quality supply of fertilizers during the Rabi season 2024-2025 in the state.
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