Karnataka - Bangalore

State requires 21 lakh tonnes of fertilizers for kharif season

BANGALORE: Anticipating a good monsoon this year, the Government has estimated the requirement of fertilizers at 20.92 lakh tonnes for the kharif season compared to the 18.74 lakh tonnes that was utilised during the kharif season last year.

By the end of May, farmers had purchased 1.97 lakh tonnes of fertilizers and had taken up sowing operations in 1.96 lakh hectares of land in Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Chikmagalur and Hassan districts.

The State has a stock of 2.54 lakh tonnes of fertilizers, Government officials told The Hindu on Monday.

With the onset of the south-west monsoon, sowing is expected to pick up in all districts.

An estimated 3.85 lakh tonnes of fertilizers would be required in June.

Delay in the supply of fertilizers by companies has created a “mismatch” in demand and supply in some districts. Farmers in Bellary, Raichur, Koppal and Gulbarga districts purchased fertilizers one month ahead of sowing. There was a steep increase in demand for di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) in those districts.

The availability of Murate of Potash (MoP) and urea was satisfactory. “There is no shortage of fertilizers in the State,” the officials pointed out.

The Government has sought supply of fertilizers from 15 companies, including Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited, Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited, Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited, Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited and National Fertilisers Limited.

The Union Ministry has directed the companies to supply the State’s monthly quota as scheduled, the officials said.

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