LUCKNOW: If Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) is to be believed, the Uttar Pradesh government has no reason to worry about the shortfall of fertiliser supply to its farmers. With senior management claiming that the state government has nearly three lakh tonnes of fertilisers at its disposal, IFFCO managing director US Awasthi said: “IFFCO’s own production touches 20,000 tonnes per day. This is enough to meet the demand being generated in UP.”
Stating that fertilisers become unfit for use after 4 to 5 months of their production, Awasthi added that creating buffer stocks with such produce is, in fact, counter productive.
But though production and stocking of fertilisers may be one concern, the larger issue, agriculture experts believe, is that the systemic use of fertilisers in UP is “largely flawed”. Interestingly, UP has about 13% of the country’s cropped area. The state’s contribution towards foodgrain production in 2006-07 was 17% of the country’s total grain production. However, productivity levels in the state have been significantly lower than other states. Also, the state has marked regional disparities in fertiliser consumption. While Saharanpur division consumes the maximum, pegged at 271 kg of fertilisers per hectare, the lowest consumption patterns have been observed in Chitrakoot. Fertiliser distribution over crops are also seen to be erratic in UP, with nearly 94% fertiliser usage being restricted to rabi crops in areas like Jhansi.
In addition, 80% of UP’s consumption of fertiliser is restricted to four major crops — wheat, rice, sugarcane and potato. Other crops, especially those produced in rainfed areas, do not receive adequate fertilisation, as a result of which soils are found deficient in nutrients. Former professor, Chandra Shekhar Azad Agriculture University, KN Tiwari said: “Poor soil fertility is the major cause of low productivity. Most soils in UP are low on potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous.” Significantly, with UP consuming the maximum amount of urea and DAP for crops, the beginning of cropping seasons usually sees acute crisis in the availability of phosphatic and potassic fertilisers. In fact, the deficiency in micro-nutrients poses a serious problem, particularly in intensively cropped areas. In UP, in a survey conducted by IFFCO, 64% of 11,828 soil samples analysed were found lacking in zinc.
Courtsey:TOI