 "Centre allocates 25,000 tonne additional urea to Odisha")
The ministry has instructed fertiliser companies like Coromandel Fertilisers, Indian Potash Ltd (IPL), Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (Iffco), Nagarjuna Fertilisers Company Ltd (NFCL), Kribhco Shyam Fertilisers Ltd (KSFL) and Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd (RCFL) to ensure that the additional allocation reaches the state by September 25. The fertiliser would be despatched to the state through 10 rakes.
“As per the information available with us, against the projected requirement of 103,000 tonne of urea for the month of September, supply plan was issued by the department for fertilisers for 108,000 tonne and 50,000 tonne of urea has already been despatched to the state so far till September 15 during the current month,” S K Lohani, joint secretary, ministry of chemicals and fertilisers said in a letter to Rajesh Verma, principal secretary, agriculture (Odisha). The decision to allocate additional urea has been taken following a meeting on Wednesday between state agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy and Union fertiliser secretary, J K Mohapatra, who till recently was the chief secretary of Odisha.
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Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on Wednesday, had written to Ananth Kumar, Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers, pressing for supply of urea on a war footing by the fertiliser companies to meet the need of farmers. Patnaik had sought allocation of 45,000 tonne of urea to reach the state by September 20. According to government data, urea deficit in the state (as on September 9) stood at 54,472 tonne. Of the targeted supply of 75,390 tonne for this month, only 20,918 tonne was despatched. All the fertiliser companies had slipped on their supply commitments. At a recent review meeting, Iffco and KFCL attributed the shortfall in supplies to non-arrival of vessels on time while NFCL cited that its manufacturing capacity is yet to be fully functional. It was decided that officials at the state directorate of agriculture & food production will maintain a daily chart of rakes arrival, transit and indent position to ensure proper monitoring of supplies.
The Odisha State Cooperative Marketing Federation (OSCMF) and the District Central Cooperative Bank officials have been asked to clear up the dues of fertiliser companies especially that of Iffco. The dues of fertiliser companies have mounted to almost Rs 150 crore. The railway authorities have been asked to place maximum emphasis on allocation of rakes for fertilisers and ensure smooth movement of manure laden rakes.