Bhubaneswar: Odisha has so far received 2.77 lakh tonnes of urea, DAP and other fertilisers, with 28,197 tonnes currently available in stock, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta said on Tuesday, asserting that the distribution process was proceeding smoothly across the state.
Samanta said 2,76,973 tonnes of fertilisers had been received so far, of which 2,48,676 tonnes had been supplied to farmers through Large Area Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS), Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and dealers.
“As of today, we have 28,197 tonnes of fertiliser in stock,” the minister said while speaking to the media.
The minister said Odisha has been allocated a higher quantity of fertiliser this year compared with the previous year. According to him, the state’s share has increased from 35 per cent last year to 60 per cent this year.
The state is expected to receive around six lakh tonnes of fertiliser during the current year, he said.
Samanta said the government was taking steps to ensure that farmers get fertilisers through proper channels and that there is no black marketing or hoarding.
“District-level committees have been formed and a state-level team has also been constituted to monitor the distribution,” he said.
The minister warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found indulging in irregularities or black marketing of fertilisers.
The government has been closely monitoring the availability and distribution of fertilisers to ensure that farmers do not face shortages during the agricultural season, he added.
