Shortage of DAP worries farmers
With the paddy harvesting on and rabi season approaching near, farmers are left worried due to shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser.
Various farm unions are urging the government to ensure supply of the fertiliser before the Rabi season picks up. The fertiliser completes the requirement of nutrients and ensures maximum production.
It is supplied to states by the Centre and recently, the state government has also apprised the Union Government of its shortage and conveyed about state’s requirement of nearly 5.5 lakh tonnes of DAP for two rabi crops of wheat and potato. In Punjab, wheat is cultivated on around 35 lakh hectares and potato on 1 lakh hectares.
The fear of shortage has created panic among the farmers. Complaints about the sale of spurious DAP fertiliser has also surfaced in many parts of the state.
Shamsher Singh, a farmer from Begowal village said the paddy season passed amid the shortage and now, the wheat season was approaching near andthe government should ensure its smooth supply. Another farmer, Kulwant Singh, from Jodhan village said the government should make sure that the DAP fertiliser reaches farmers and should be made available at cooperative societies.
The farmers have also urged the government to continue conducting sampling of DAP fertiliser as 60 per cent of the samples of the same supplied by two companies failed the test in March and April this year.
