Opposition targets Haryana govt over farmers facing DAP fertiliser shortage

Farmers in some Haryana districts are grappling with a DAP fertiliser shortage but the government has failed to take appropriate steps to address the issue, opposition Congress leaders and farmer activists in the state have alleged.

Long queues of farmers have been seen at some places in the state and even the police had to be called in for crowd management.

Targeting the government, Congress general secretary and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja said it has failed to take appropriate steps in time.

She alleged that the shortage of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, essential for the cultivation of mustard, wheat and some other crops, has forced farmers to stand in long queues and still they are not able to get enough to meet their needs.

"In many places, the situation has become dire and farmers have been forced to hold protests and demonstrations. After urea, DAP is the most widely used fertiliser in the country," Selja said.

DAP contains nitrogen and phosphorus, which are primary nutrients for mustard, wheat and some other crops.

"This is the peak season of mustard sowing and there is a shortage of DAP. Government has not made arrangements," Loharu-based farmer activist Dayanand Poonia alleged.

"A few days ago, several farmers stood in long queues outside the Tosham police station in Bhiwani district as police handled the process and gave slips to farmers that they could exchange for DAP bags.

"This situation is not limited to Tosham only. As mustard crop sowing is at its peak, at some other places in neighbouring districts too, the police had to be called for crowd management after long queues of farmers were seen at some cooperative societies," Poonia said over the phone on Wednesday.

Asked about the government's claims that there are adequate stocks of DAP available, he argued, "If DAP has to be distributed through police stations, you can imagine the situation."  "A bag of DAP costs Rs 1,350, which is the government rate," he said, adding that even at private centres, there was a shortage of fertiliser.

Poonia said once the wheat sowing starts next month, the demand for DAP will only grow.

Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently said the government is unable to provide DAP to the farmers.

"Due to non-supply of fertilisers, farmers have to wait for many days in long queues. Still, they are not able to get fertilisers and they have to buy these in the black market," he had alleged.

However, responding to the opposition leaders' claim over the DAP shortage, a Haryana government spokesperson said there is sufficient stock of urea and DAP available in the state.

In a statement here on Tuesday, the spokesperson stated that as of October 28, the state has a total of 4,22,958 metric tons of urea (including old stock), 27,357 metric tons of DAP, 72,487 metric tons of SSP (Single superphosphate), and 31,206 metric tons of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) available.

The spokesperson said the government of India has allocated 5,23,554 metric tons of urea for Haryana during October, of which 1,41,173 metric tons have been received so far, and 7,800 metric tons of urea are expected to arrive in the next three days.

Similarly, the central government has allocated 1,15,150 metric tons of DAP for October, of which 68,929 metric tons have been received so far.

The spokesperson also said that as of October 27, farmers have used 1,16,364 metric tons of urea, 95,541 metric tons of DAP, 14,892 metric tons of SSP and 25,938 metric tons of NPK.