Punjab Congress today strongly opposed the proposed move of the Central government to end freight subsidy on potash and phosphorus fertilizers saying it would adversely hit farmers in the high fertilizer consuming states like Punjab and Haryana.
While visiting Hoshiarpur and Tanda Dana Mandis here, Punjab Congress President Partap Singh Bajwa demanded that procurement by government agencies should start immediately.
"The move is likely to increase the prices of these fertilizers like DAP by at least Rs 300 to Rs 400 per metric tonnes, thereby adding to the cost of production. The farm sector is already in crisis and the farmers are distressed," he said.
The requirement for DAP is about 14 tonnes in Punjab and Haryana which is imported via Gujarat ports, he said.
The reduction in subsidy would thus make these fertilizers for the farmers costlier in the absence of corresponding increase in the minimum support price, he said.
He referred to the recent letter written by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to Union Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar in this regard.
He said the "anti-farmer face of the Modi government had already become clear" with the amendment to the Land Acquisition legislation which has been supported by the Shiromani Akali Dal.
This action in reducing freight subsidy would further fuel anger among the farmers, particularly in Punjab and Haryana, he said.
He urged the Modi government to withdraw this proposal immediately.
