'Centre supplying inadequate quantity of fertiliser to state...'

Kolkata: The Bengal government has accused Centre of supplying inadequate quantities of fertiliser to the state.

In a virtual meeting, the state Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattyopadhyay informed the Union minister of Chemical and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya that Bengal has received only 50 per cent and 37 per cent of the required Di-ammonium Phosphate popularly known as DAP and Monoammonium phosphate (MOP) respectively in the last Kharif season.

The state government had informed the Centre that the state requires 1.86 lakh metric tonne and 1.70 lakh metric tonne DAP and MOP during the Kharif season.

At the same time the state government also informed the Union minister that Bengal has also received inadequate quantities of fertiliser in the months of October and November. The requirement of DAP in the month of November was Rs 45,000 metric tonne while the Centre has provided only 7,685 metric tonne of the same. Similarly, the Centre has provided only 5,293 metric tonne MOP against the total requirement of 21,500 metric tonne.

The delay in sending fertilisers or inadequate supply of the same would adversely affect the agriculture sector in the state. "We have urged them to supply the remaining fertiliser by December and the Union minister has assured of looking into the issue so that the supply of the same can be started in the next couple of days", Chattopadhyay said.

The state Agriculture minister has also placed the demand of increasing the number of points for supply of fertilisers by rake.

The Centre basically supplies the same up to four to five points in the state and subsequent distribution of fertiliser across the state takes place by road.

"With the increase in petrol and diesel prices, the transportation cost is going up and of course farmers are also bearing its heat. So we have urged the Centre to increase the number of points where fertilisers can be supplied by rake," the state agriculture minister said.