Opposition blames Odisha government for fertilizer crisis and black market – The New Indian Express

By Express press service

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to the Center about the fertilizer shortage in the state, the BJP opposition and Congress criticized the BJD government for artificial shortage and black market.

Claiming that the pro-rata supply of different types of fertilizers exceeds the actual monthly needs of the state, the BJP said on Saturday that the state government was trying to cover up its inability to control the black market by shifting blame on the Center.

“The Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba, already clarified the supply position on Friday. The chief minister is misleading people as he has been kept in the dark about the availability of fertilizers,” said BJP MP Nauri Nayak.

He said the availability of urea in Odisha as of August 25 was 2.04 lakh tonnes against its requirement of 80,000 tonnes. Similarly, the Center provided 52,000 tons of diammonium phosphate (DAP) in August against a need of 30,000 tons. In the case of muriatic potash (MoP), the State has a surplus stock of 20,000 tons compared to its need of 25,000 tons.

Nayak said the state has a lakh ton of excess stock of complex fertilizers (NPKS) while its August requirement was only 40,000 tons. BJP Krushak Morcha State Chairman Pradip Purohit has said the shortage of fertilizers in the country is a thing of the past after the Narendra Modi government came to power in the Centre. He said a similar crisis was created last year by allowing Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and private traders to sell fertilizer on the black market.

Purohit said TNIE released a report on Aug. 8 on the artificial scarcity of fertilizers and the sale of different chemical nutrients at almost double the price of the actual cost set by the Center. “There is nothing to hide. Fertilizer supply data for all states is available on the official website of the Department of Fertilizer. The chief minister is being misled by his officials,” he said.

Since there is a good monsoon season across the state, there is a huge demand for chemical fertilizers. While denying any fertilizer shortage in Odisha, Khuba, who was visiting the state, told reporters on Friday that the state government was playing politics on farmers. Congressman Suresh Kumar Routray also denounced the BJD government for the artificial crisis and black marketing of fertilizers.

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to the Center about the fertilizer shortage in the state, the BJP opposition and Congress criticized the BJD government for artificial shortage and black market. Claiming that the pro-rata supply of different types of fertilizers exceeds the actual monthly needs of the state, the BJP said on Saturday that the state government was trying to cover up its inability to control the black market by shifting blame on the Center. “The Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba, already clarified the supply position on Friday. The chief minister is misleading people as he has been kept in the dark about the availability of fertilizers,” said BJP MP Nauri Nayak. He said the availability of urea in Odisha as of August 25 was 2.04 lakh tonnes against its requirement of 80,000 tonnes. Similarly, the Center provided 52,000 tons of diammonium phosphate (DAP) in August against a need of 30,000 tons. In the case of muriatic potash (MoP), the State has a surplus stock of 20,000 tons compared to its need of 25,000 tons. Nayak said the state has a lakh ton of excess stock of complex fertilizers (NPKS) while its August requirement was only 40,000 tons. BJP Krushak Morcha State Chairman Pradip Purohit has said the shortage of fertilizers in the country is a thing of the past after the Narendra Modi government came to power in the Centre. He said a similar crisis was created last year by allowing Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and private traders to sell fertilizer on the black market. Purohit said TNIE released a report on Aug. 8 on the artificial scarcity of fertilizers and the sale of different chemical nutrients at almost double the price of the actual cost set by the Center. “There is nothing to hide. Fertilizer supply data for all states is available on the official website of the Department of Fertilizer. The chief minister is being misled by his officials,” he said. Since there is a good monsoon season across the state, there is a huge demand for chemical fertilizers. While denying any fertilizer shortage in Odisha, Khuba, who was visiting the state, told reporters on Friday that the state government was playing politics on farmers. Congressman Suresh Kumar Routray also denounced the BJD government for the artificial crisis and black marketing of fertilizers.