Despite shortage, DAP being sold in black, say farmers

Amid a shortage of DAP fertiliser required for sowing wheat crop, farmers have complained that it can be procured in black. Farmers who have purchased DAP from the black market stated that it cost them Rs 1,700 per bag instead of the MRP of Rs 1,300 per bag.

Farmers alleged that the shortage is deliberately created by the traders to earn more money. “If there is a shortage, it should not be available in black,” said Harman Singh, a farmer from Jandiala area. He said that he paid Rs 1,700 per bag for the fertiliser.

While sowing of peas and potato crops which also require DAP is already over, sowing of wheat is expected to start within the next few days, putting the cultivators in panic mode. They stated that the shortage of DAP is faced every year.

This year, the administration has asked the fertiliser dealers to display their stocks outside their shops so that farmers can easily check it out. However, in the absence of any checks from the department, the stocks are seldom mentioned.

Rattan Singh Randhawa, a farmer leader, said, “Shortage of DAP takes place every season. The government should make arrangements for providing sufficient quantity of the fertiliser.” He said that they have also received reports that the fertiliser is being sold at a price much higher than the maximum retail price.

Chief Agriculture Officer Tajinder Singh admitted that there is a shortage of DAP. He, however, suggested that farmers can use triple super phosphate (TSP) along with urea to get the same nutrients. “TSP when used along with urea gives better results and is even less costly than DAP,” he said.

Tajinder Singh stated that teams are working to educate farmers about the composition of fertilisers so that they can use an alternative if a particular one is not available. “We would be getting sufficient stocks of TSP in the next few days,” he said.