Ratnagiri. The shortage of urea fertilizer during the Kharif agricultural season in the Konkan region of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra has increased the concern of farmers. Farmers cultivating paddy are not getting the required quantity of urea available, due to which there is a possibility that farming work will be affected. Paddy sowing work has started in many areas. At such a time, the demand for urea fertilizer for crops has increased, but due to insufficient supply, farmers are facing problems. About 6,500 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer is required for this season in Ratnagiri district. Of these, fertilizer is available through four rakes (goods train coaches). So far four thousand metric tons of urea fertilizer has been received. Due to the gap between demand and supply, shortage of fertilizer is being felt in many areas.
Paddy is cultivated in about 44 thousand hectare area in the district. In such a situation, shortage of urea can have a direct impact on thousands of farmers. In view of the shortage of fertilizer, the District Agriculture Department is vigorously distributing the buffer stock. Out of the buffer stock of 650 tonnes available with the department, now only 90 tonnes of manure is left.
The Agriculture Department is advising farmers not to depend only on urea and also use Suphala and other fertilizers for balanced nutrition.
The Agriculture Department has expressed hope that additional stock of fertilizers will be available in the district by the end of June or July 1.
Baba Dali, Vice President of Mhapada Association, said that there is about 50 percent shortage of fertilizers this year. He alleged that farmers were not getting regular and adequate supply of fertilizer. At present, only the fertilizer of Deepak Fertilizers and Juwari companies is available in some quantity, whereas normally seven to eight rakes of fertilizer from RCF (Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers) reaches the district, but this time only four rakes have been received so far.
He said that due to shortage of supply by almost half, farmers are not getting fertilizer in every village. Farmers are very angry with this and are demanding to ensure availability of fertilizers in the important farming season.
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