Fertiliser crisis: Haryana farmers reach sale counters in wee hours
Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, November 11
After mustard sowing, farmers in Jhajjar, Rewari, Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts are now struggling to get DAP fertiliser to cultivate wheat crop. They are compelled to reach the sale counters in the wee hours, resulting in long queues to get hold of the fertiliser.
Only two bags per person being given
Only two bags of DAP are being sold to a person, but we need at least eight. We will have to come tomorrow to get more bags as sowing cannot be delayed. — Vedpal, farmer from kot village, Jhajjar
Farmers Sowing wheat without DAP
I had to sow wheat in six acres without DAP. Several other farmers did the same owing to non-availability of the fertiliser as delay in sowing adversely affects land fertility. — Naresh, Farmer from Balambh village, Rohtak.
Enough sowing time, no need to panic
Every person lined up at the sales counter in the district is getting two bags of DAP fertiliser. Farmers do not need to panic as there is still enough time to sow wheat crop. — Deepak, SDO (Agri), Rewari
The fertiliser is now being distributed in the presence of police to manage the crowd.
“My brother and I have been standing in the queue for six hours, but our turn is yet to come. There is a heavy rush at the sale counter since morning. Only two bags of DAP are being sold to a person, but we need at least eight bags. We will have to come tomorrow to get more bags as sowing cannot be delayed,” said Vedpal of Kot village (Jhajjar).
Maha Singh of Rewari said the shortage of DAP fertiliser had forced farmers to come to the sale counter in the wee hours to secure a bag or two. “Women and children are also being roped in to get the fertiliser,” he added.
The crisis of DAP has also affected sowing of wheat crop. Many farmers in Rohtak cultivated wheat without the fertiliser, while many others got late from their routine time.
“I had to sow wheat in six acres without DAP. Several other farmers did the same owing to non-availability of the fertiliser as delay in sowing adversely affects land fertility,” said Naresh of Balambh village (Rohtak).
Deepak, SDO (Agriculture), Rewari, said the district had the requirement of 5,000 MT of the fertiliser for wheat, of which 1,100 MT had already been distributed while more supply was likely to arrive.
“Every person lined up at the sales counter is getting two bags of DAP. Farmers need not to be panicked as there is still enough time to sow wheat crop,” he claimed.
A similar situation was witnessed in Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts, where the demand is much higher than the supply.
“A total of 4,000 MT DAP is needed for wheat crop in Mahendragarh, of which 1,000 MT has already been distributed. Long queues will continue at the sale counter at the end of sowing season on November 30 as the remaining supply will come in phases,” said an official.
