Fertilizer crisis to ease in Bihar: Minister

PATNA: Amid raging fertilizer scarcity in the state and reports about black marketing, agriculture minister

Amarendra Pratap Singh

on Tuesday said the availability of DAP and NPK varieties of fertilizer would improve by the end of this week.

“The fertilizer scarcity is serious and CM Nitish Kumar has also taken note of it. He has discussed the matter with the Centre. It is a problem not just of Bihar, but the entire country,” Singh said.

“Yet, the availability of DAP will improve by the end of this week. The NPK variety is available, but more of it will be available for use by the farmers,” he said, adding the allotment for the state is 12 lakh metric tonne (MT) of urea, 10 lakh MT of DAP and four lakh MT of NPK, besides other types of chemical fertilizer.

“During the sowing of wheat and winter maize and cultivation of potato, farmers need a huge amount of DAP and NPK. There is an acute shortage of DAP in the state,” Singh said.

The sowing of wheat is done between November 15 and December 15. “It is the peak sowing season for the farmers, but 40% of the total fertilizer required in the country is made available through import,” Singh said.

Singh appealed to the farmers of the state to purchase and use DAP and NPK as per their need only. “The farmers should understand and appreciate each other’s needs. They should purchase fertilizer as per their requirement for the rabi season,” he said.