Advance purchase of 1.5 lakh tonne fertilisers in MP

Bhopal, Mar 23 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government today said that the advance purchase of 1.5 lakh tonnes fertiliser by it was aimed at ensuring its availability to farmers in view of the ensuing 'kharif' season.

The government targets to provide five lakh tonnes fertilisers to farmers through cooperative institutions and hopes to achieve it by the end of May, according to an official release here today.

In a letter to MLAs, Cooperatives Minister Gopal Bhargava sought inputs regarding smooth distribution and availability of fertiliser.

Noting that farmers in some areas experienced difficulties in getting fertilisers last year in the wake of its countrywide shortage, especially DAP, he said that government had stored 1.5 lakh tonne fertilisers -- including 78,000 tonne DAP, 50,000 tonne Urea and 20,000 tonne NPK -- which is 31 per cent of the target.

The minister said that the MP State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed) will implement a scheme through cooperative marketing societies to ensure availability of fertilisers to farmers.

The Markfed would make available fertiliser to the cooperative societies, which will distribute it to farmers on two-month credit.

Farmers will be required to pay for the fertilisers in June.

The government had made arrangements for making available fertiliser to remote areas on time through field staff.

The collectors had been directed to ensure timely availability of fertiliser to farmers by implementing an action plan through officials of cooperatives and agriculture department, central cooperative banks and Markfed, the release added.

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