Centre not supplying enough fertilizers during Rabi season: Chattisgarh minister

Raipur: The Union government's statement that it had supplied 4.36 lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers to Chhattisgarh was false and misleading as the Centre had only provided 2.12 lakh MT between October last year and February for the Rabi season, state Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey said on Saturday.

The 2,12.162 MT provided was just 52 per cent of the supply plan laid down by the Centre for the state, he added. The Centre had on Friday said it had supplied 4.36 lakh MT fertilizers to the state against a requirement of 3.61 MT.

"Chhattisgarh demanded 7.50 lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers for the Rabi season of 2021-22 but only 4.11 lakh MT, or 55 per cent of requirement, was approved by the Centre. This comprises 2 lakh MT urea, 60,000 MT DAP, 50,000 MT NPK, 26,000 MT MOP and 75,000 metric tonnes SSP," he said. "Of this 4.11 lakh MT, the Centre has issued a plan to supply 3.46 lakh MT between October and February. However, only 2.12 lakh MT, or 52 per cent of approved quantity, has been provided so far," he added.

He said the total of the amount of remaining chemical fertilizers in the state as on October 1, 2021 and the new supply from the Centre stands at 3.69 lakh MT, which is less than the 4.36 lakh MT that the Union government is

claiming.