Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchennaidu assured that the government is taking all measures to ensure that the farmers in the state do not face any difficulties in the supply of fertilizers and that they receive the required fertilizers on time. He said that the estimated requirement of 31.15 lakh metric tons of fertilizers for the Kharif season is 21.34 lakh metric tons, of which 6.22 lakh metric tons including urea, DAP, MOP, SSP and complex fertilizers are already available to the farmers.
He explained that the supplies are being monitored district-wise according to the needs of the farmers across the state. The minister said that the state government has taken proactive measures to ensure that farmers do not face any shortage of fertilizers and has kept a buffer stock of 1.10 lakh metric tons.
He said that despite transportation problems in some areas due to the Godavari floods, alternative arrangements have been made to ensure that the farmers receive fertilizers on time. He said that another 79,633 metric tons are stored in depots and are being moved to the required areas. The Minister clarified that the distribution of fertilizers is being done in a 50:50 ratio with the coordination of the Center and the State.
The Minister said that monitoring is ongoing through the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS) to provide fertilizers to the farmers in a transparent and timely manner. He said that this system will provide real-time information on fertilizer stocks, requirements and distribution. The Minister clarified that 6.48 lakh metric tons of fertilizers are currently available in the state and farmers should not worry.
Atchennaidu assured that farmers will receive enough fertilizers on time to continue cultivation. He said that even though transportation was delayed in some places due to the impact of rains, immediate steps are being taken to ensure that farmers do not face any trouble. He said that fertilizers are being provided keeping in mind the special needs of crops in areas damaged by rains. He warned that strict action will be taken if some middlemen in the market try to sell fertilizers at high prices.