Date:12/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071259890600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Congress MLA decries fertilizer shortage

Sirpur MLA stages dharna along with farmers

Soybean farmers in Sirpur left in lurch: Koneru Konappa
32,000 bags supplied against 68,000 required

HYDERABAD:

Congress MLA from Sirpur Koneru Konappa led a farmers’ dharna in front of the office of the Joint Director of Agriculture in Adilabad on Friday demanding supply of fertilizers.

Mr. Konappa said that he would not call off agitation until sufficient stocks were made available to the farmers growing soybean. Till evening, officials tried to convince him to call off the agitation.

Speaking to The Hindu from Adilabad, Mr. Konappa alleged that soybean growers in his constituency were left in the lurch with to non-supply of fertilizers in time. “Farmers have procured seed to grow soybean on 68,000 acres in Sirpur constituency and require an equal number of DAP bags to take up sowing,” he pointed out.

No response

Since May, the farmers had been making rounds of Agriculture Department offices pleading for fertilizers but officials had not responded.

The Sirpur MLA alleged that 7,500 tonnes of fertilizers arrived in the district in May, but very little was released for Sirpur. Seven rakes of fertilizers were sent to Adilabad in June.

So far, only 32,000 bags of fertilizers had been supplied to farmers in his constituency against the requirement of 68,000 bags, he said. Unless the fertilizers were used at the time of sowing, there was no point in taking up soybean cultivation.

Flays Raghuveera

Mr. Konappa resented the attitude of officials as well as Agriculture Minister N. Raghvueera Reddy and Commissioner of Agriculture in not redressing the sufferings of the farmers.