No fertiliser shortage in Dharwad for kharif sowing, says DC

Dharwad: Deputy commissioner Snehal has assured farmers that Dharwad district has adequate stocks of seeds and fertilisers for the upcoming kharif sowing season and urged them not to panic over rumours of shortages.

Chairing a meeting of agriculture department officials, fertiliser dealers and farmer representatives, she said agricultural activities have already begun in the district and sowing operations are expected to start in the first week of June with the onset of the monsoon.

DC Snehal directed officials to ensure timely supply of seeds and fertilisers and ordered formation of special inspection squads to check overpricing, illegal hoarding and creation of artificial scarcity. She also instructed officials to prevent the sale of fake or unauthorised seeds and fertilisers through regular inspections of sales centres.

Any complaints from the public regarding seeds or fertilisers should be verified immediately and action initiated without delay, she said.

Snehal noted that fertiliser supply at the national and state levels has been affected due to the ongoing West Asia conflict. However, Dharwad district has already secured adequate stocks required for the monsoon sowing season and distributed them to dealers.

She advised farmers to obtain seeds from nearby Raitha Samparka Kendras and purchase fertilisers, including urea, only from authorised outlets as per government norms.

The deputy commissioner warned that strict action will be taken against dealers forcing farmers to buy linked products, charging excess prices, failing to issue receipts or not displaying stock and price details outside shops. Licences of erring dealers will be suspended immediately if complaints are received, she warned.

The district’s estimated urea requirement for the June-Sept season is 27,642 metric tonnes. At present, Dharwad district has 6,612 metric tonnes of urea in stock after sale of 3,106 metric tonnes since April.

Apart from this, the district has stocks of 4,526 metric tonnes of DAP, 2,562 metric tonnes of potash, 11,299 metric tonnes of complex fertilisers and 453 metric tonnes of SSP fertilisers. Overall, the district has 24,793 metric tonnes of various fertilisers in stock.