No shortage of DAP, claims director

LUDHIANA, Nov 20: Much hue and cry by farmers over non-availability of DAP fertilisers in the state notwithstanding, director of Agriculture...

LUDHIANA, Nov 20: Much hue and cry by farmers over non-availability of DAP fertilisers in the state notwithstanding, director of Agriculture Punjab Avtar Singh Randhawa today claimed that barring Abohar and Fazilka sub divisions in Ferozepur district, there was no shortage of DAP fertiliser in the state.

Randhawa, who had held review meetings to monitor the availability and supply of DAP fertiliser with the respective chief agricultural officers of several districts in Punjab including Patiala, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur and Ludhiana, informed that two rakes of DAP fertilisers were likely to arrive at Fazilka and Abohar which would ease the availability in these areas.

According to him, stocks of 3.38 lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser were despatched to different districts out of which almost 3.08 lakh tonne had been distributed among farmers. Compared to consumption of around 2.88 lakh tonnes of DAP till November 30 last year, the state government had arranged stocks of 4.20 lakh metric tonnes of DAP fertiliser this year keeping in view the fact that area under wheat cultivtion for Rabi crop had increased by 45,000 hectares (from 32.05 to 32.50 lakh hectares). Randhawa addedthat this year 85 to 87 per cent wheat sowing had been done in different districts as against 60.65 per cent witnessed during corresponding period last year. Early sowing of wheat would result in better yield and prospects of a bumper crop were bright, he added.