New Delhi

No fertilizer shortage in State, says Raghuveera

NEW DELHI: Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy has claimed that there is no fertilizer shortage in Andhra Pradesh. However, he said there was some delay in the supply due to late policy decisions, empty buffer stock, shortage of rail rakes and hijacking of ships that were bringing the fertilizer to the State.

“There will be no problem in fertilizer supply to any of the 1.20 crore farmers in AP during this rabi season.”

Talking to mediapersons, the Minister, who was here to attend a conference, said the entire stock that was due for the State had been received by September 30. The government had asked the Centre to permit it to keep the one lakh tonnes of fertilizer, due for October, that was being imported directly by the State, as buffer stock so that there would be no delay in the future in despatching the stocks to the shops.

Of the quantity, 45,000 tonnes would be received in the next few days and the remaining 55,000 tonnes by October 20.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu