Bhubaneswar, Aug. 25: Union minister of state for chemical and fertilisers Srikant Jena today dared Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik to an open debate on agricultural development in the state.

“Fertiliser is not the only component of agriculture, there are other factors also responsible for development of farming,” he said.

Jena’s reaction came in the wake of Naveen’s letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging immediate release of one lakh metric tonne of urea to the state. “More fertilisers will certainly come to the state. But the state government must check hoarding and arrest black marketeers under the Essential Service Maintenance Act (Esma),” said Jena.

The Union minister also claimed that sufficient quantities of all fertilisers were available in the state, but steps were not being taken to distribute these to the farmers. “The sale of fertilisers in kharif season happens mainly in July to September. Adequate quantity of fertilisers was pre-positioned in the state. Rainfall deficiency has led to fertilisers not being sold as per the normal requirement.”

Jena also released documents on the issue of requirement of urea, DAP (diammonium phosphate), NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potash) and MOP (muriate of potash) in the state.

Expressing his concern on the ongoing hoarding and black-marketing of the fertilisers, Jena said 2011-12 had been a normal year as far rainfall was concerned. Whereas rainfall in 2012-13 had so far been below normal and many areas had been declared as drought-affected, he said.

“However, in the current year, the supply of fertilisers has been more than that supplied last year. Where has the fertilisers including urea has gone? The state must give a reply to it,” he said.

Admitting the increasing of prices of fertilisers, Jena said: “There was increase in price of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers after June because of increase in international prices as well devaluation of the rupee against the US dollar,” he said, adding that the price of DAP was about Rs 18,500 per metric tonne for old stock, whereas it was around Rs 24,000 per metric tonne of new stock.

However, Jena made it clear that as the state government had old stock with them, it should not make any impact on the farmers. Raising the issue of subsidy, Jena said the state should intervene by giving subsidy on fertilisers. “The Centre is giving subsidy of nearly Rs 14,000 on every tonne. The state should also follow in the steps of the Centre and give subsidy of nearly Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per tonne,” he said.