TNI Bureau: Expressing concern over the fertiliser scarcity, the members of Odisha Legislative Assembly demanded immediate supply of chemical fertilisers at affordable prices by the end of August.

The issue was raised during zero hour yesterday when members of both the ruling BJD and opposition Congress blamed each other that farmers were not getting adequate fertlisers.

BJD member Amar Prasad Satapathy raised the issue in the House seeking a statement from Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra. BJP member Jaynarayan Mishra demanded a special debate over the issue.

Replying to their question, the minister said that the famers are facing the shortage of fertiliser during the Kharif season. He blamed the Center for not supplying adequate of fertiliser to the state. He said that Centre had supplied 5,87,191 MT of fertiliser by August 2011,this year during the same period quantum of supply was only 4,06,585 MT.

As the prices of chemical fertilisers have increased, the state farmers demand urea due to its low price. However, the urea is also not adequate in the state. The Centre had committed supply of 7,86,980 MT of fertiliser by end of August, and in this context the Chife Minister has also written a letter to the Centre.

Rejecting the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertiliser Srikant Jena’s claim that adequate fertiliser had been supplied to the state; Mishra said the Union minister should come out of the politics when the farmers are facing problems.

Former minister and BJD member Pratap Jena also expressed his concern over the price hike in fertiliser.