The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Yeddyurappa says there is shortage of fertilizer

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Sunday, Jun 29, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Yeddyurappa says there is shortage of fertilizer

Special Correspondent

‘Deve Gowda’s statement on the issue is misleading’

Opening stock in June was less than 20 per cent of State’s requirement for June
The issue was discussed with Prime Minister on two occasions

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has expressed his anguish over the statement of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda over “the adequate availability of chemical fertilizers in the State”.

He said: “The statement of Mr. Deve Gowda is misleading and far from reality. The stand taken by Mr. Deve Gowda that the Union Fertilizer ministry has supplied the required quantity of fertilizers to Karnataka is not based on facts”.

In a clarification, he said there had been shortage of fertilizers in the State for the past eight months. Between October 2007 and March 2008, the State had a deficit of 75,000 tonnes of DAP and three lakh tonnes of complex fertilizers.

On February 25, Governor Rameshwar Thakur (during President’s rule) wrote to the Union Fertilizer Minister highlighting the severe shortage in the State, especially DAP and complex fertilizers.

Although 75 per cent of the June requirement of fertilizers for the State was to be supplied by the Centre before June 1, the opening stock as on June 1 was only 17.48 per cent of the requirement of DAP and 14.48 per cent of the requirement of complex fertilizers.

Centre apprised of it

The Chief Minister discussed the fertilizer shortage with the Prime Minister on two occasions and the Union Fertilizer Minister had promised that 1.20 lakh tonnes of DAP and 1.10 lakh tonnes of complex fertilizers would be made over to the State before June 20. However, the actual quantities received in the State as on June 20 was 61,187 tonnes of DAP and 56,327 tonnes of complex fertilizer which was about 50 per cent of the promised quantities.

The former Prime Minister had given certain figures on the availability of fertilizers in the State for the kharif season and the sources for these figures had not been mentioned.

The stock of fertilizers in the State as on June 27 is 11,735 tonnes of DAP and 11,013 tonnes of complex.

This stock would be sold within two days, he said.

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