Coimbatore (PTI) The DMDK on Saturday accused the Centre and Tamil Nadu government of having failed to rein in 'artificial scarcity' of fertilizers, thus putting the farmers to hardship.

Even fertilizers like Ammonia Sulphate and Factomphos manufactured by public sectors--one in Sindri another in Kerala, were not being properly supplied to the farmers, the party's Deputy Secretary, K P Krishnan alleged at a press conference here.

With one-third of the population of Tamil Nadu involved in agriculture, the state government should take steps to supply fertiizers at nominal prices, as the traders were either charging more or supplying only if farmers purchased some other manure manufactured by private companies, he alleged.

Krishnan also said that the Government should encourage biofertilisers, which at present were brought under the purview of the Chemical and Fertilisers Act.