Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 ePaper |
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Tamil Nadu
Staff Reporter
KULITHALAI: Farmers in the region have demanded that Governmental agencies should intervene to make available the important agri grade micronutrient zinc sulphate in packs of one kg. That would prevent alleged adulteration by some dealers who mix Magnesium Sulphate, effectively diluting the growth potential of the beneficiary crop. Farmers point out that Karur district and in particular the Kulithalai and Krishnarayapuram region has been classified zinc deficiency area and the Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture have been advising paddy and banana farmers to apply the prime micronutrient zinc sulphate either as basal application or as folio spray. Specialists at the National Research Centre for Banana at Podhavur have recommended application of 10 gm zinc sulphate per tree to overcome the deficiency in the region. At present, zinc sulphate is available in packs of five, 10, 25 and 50 kg. But the requirement of the farmers is the factor that prompts some dealers to indulge in adulteration. Farmers say that an acre of paddy needs one kg zinc sulphate along with an equal quantum of urea as folio spray. An acre of banana requires 2.5 to three kg of the micronutrient as folio spray. For basal applications, an acre requires five to 10 kg zinc sulphate for basal applications. Small and marginal farmers are greatly affected, as their requirement is much lower than the minimum packaged lot. Another factor that leads to adulteration is that dealers mix magnesium sulphate that costs just Rs.6 a kg with zinc sulphate that is dearer at Rs.30 a kg. When asked, a fertilizer dealer confessed that some unscrupulous dealers were indeed selling adulterated zinc sulphate and said farmers had been complaining that there was a slack in crop growth due to adulteration. Both the compounds are white in colour and mixing them is easy, farmers and fertilizer dealers point out. Dealers also say that zinc sulphate, manufactured through chilled process loses weight in a few days after the company pack is opened for retail sales or part sale, causing a loss to the dealer. To overcome the problems of fertilizer dealers and the farmers, agencies involved should force the manufacturers to market zinc sulphate in packs of one kg. Officials also need to keep vigil on the sale of the micronutrient in the district so that adulteration is stemmed.
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