Punjab Agri Minister meets Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya over DAP crisis

After meeting with Punjab Agriculture Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured supply of 10 rakes of DAP, 5 rakes of NPK (Complex fertilizer) and 2 SSP (Single Super Phosphate) within three to four days to Punjab.

New Delhi:Punjab Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha, on Tuesday, met Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya over the Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) crisis in the state.

Mandaviya has assured supply of 10 rakes of DAP, 5 rakes of NPK (Complex fertilizer) and 2 SSP (Single Super Phosphate) within three to four days to Punjab. Also, he has assured the state of an adequate supply of Urea in the coming months of November and December.

While addressing the media, Nabha said that the total requirement of DAP for rabi crops is 5.50 lakh Metric Tonne(MT) out of which 4.80 lakh MT is required during the month of October and November for timely sowing of wheat crop. He also said that Punjab has 0.74 lakh MT opening stock of DAP on October 1, 2021, as compared to 3.63 LMT on October 1, 2020.

"Government of India has allocated only 1.97 LMT of DAP against the demand of 2.75 LMT during October 2021. It is being felt likely shortfall of this crucial input may appear for the sowing of wheat crop and only 20-25 data have been left for complete sowing of wheat," Nabha stated. He demanded an additional allocation of 1.50 LMT of DAP to the State for October 2021 and expedite the supply of DAP.

Giving details of Center's supply plan and actual dispatches for the month of October 2021, Nabha alleged that Punjab is getting "step-motherly" treatment by Center as the state has got only 80951 MT of DAP against allocation plan of 197250 MT thus got only 41 per cent of the total allocation while the state of Haryana got 89 per cent of the total allocation, UP got 170 per cent and Rajasthan got 88 per cent.

Nabha also informed the media that Union Minister said that the shortage of DAP was due to the non-availability of the fertilizers in the international market and the Union government would ensure an adequate supply of DAP to Punjab.

When asked about the issue of Pink bollworm attack on the cotton crop, the Minister said that the Punjab Chief Minister had already promised compensation to the farmers and in order to save the crops from such kind of attacks in future, the state is collaborating with well-known scientist Dr Markandey to adopt latest tube technology.