DAP shortage worries farmers in Punjab, Haryana

CHANDIGARH: As farmers in Punjab and Haryana prepare to sow wheat, the biggest rabi (winter-sown) crop in both states, they are worried over the shortage of chemical diammonium phosphate (DAP). Along with urea,

DAP

is the key fertiliser required for wheat, the sowing of which is likely to gain pace from the fourth week of October after the harvest of paddy in both states.

According to information available on the

Urvarak

portal of the Union government’s department of fertilisers, the total requirement of urea for October in Punjab is 3.5 lakh metric tonne (LMT) and the supply is 4.17LMT. The portal states, against the requirement of 2.75LMT of DAP for the month, only 1.72LMT has been supplied till October 19 in Punjab – a deficit of 1.03LMT.

Till October 19, 2.34 LMT of urea was supplied for the month in Haryana against the requirement of 2LMT while 1.07LMT of DAP has been supplied against the requirement of 1.1LMT. There is a marginal shortfall of 4,000 metric tonnes (MT).

Both urea and DAP are crucial fertilisers needed for wheat that is grown over 35 lakh hectares in Punjab and 25 lakh hectares in Haryana. Farmers also apply muriate of potash (

MOP

) and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur (

NPKS

) for rabi crops in both the states, which are the biggest contributors of wheat to India’s foodgrain buffer stock.

For the month, 33,000MT of MOP has been supplied to Punjab till October 19 against the requirement of 20,000MT while the NPKS supply is 45,000MT against 30,000MT needed. In Haryana, 25,000MT of MOP has been supplied till October 19 against the monthly requirement of 6,000MT. Similarly, 18,000MT of NPKS has been supplied till October 19 against the required 15,000MT for the month.

Punjab and Haryana have sent the requirement of 14.5LMT and 1LMT of urea, respectively, to the Union government for the rabi season till March 31, 2022, and have requisitioned 5.50LMT and 3LMT of DAP, respectively.

Recommended fertilisr dosage for wheat

According to farm experts, about 110kg of urea per acre and 55kg per acre of DAP are recommended for wheat. The recommended dosage of MOP is 20kg per acre. Urea is applied in two doses of 55kg each usually during first and second irrigation of wheat crop while DAP is applied while sowing. Experts suggest using MOP in the fields before sowing.


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