Odisha agriculture minister Debi Prasad Mishra

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 21: Odisha agriculture minister Debi Prasad Mishra today sought the Centre’s help to overcome the shortage of fertilisers in the state.

Mishra met Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilsers Srikant Jena in New Delhi and urged his intervention to tide over the crisis.

Jena asked the Odisha government to intensify raids against unscrupulous traders who had hoarded fertilisers. “The state has enough fertiliser. The state government should take action against those who are indulging in black-marketing and hoarding,” said Jena.

Mishra said there was an acute shortage of fertilisers in the state. “We have so far received only a third of the state’s requirement. The Centre had promised to allocate nearly 10 lakh metric tonnes of fertilisers. But we have received only one-third of the required quantity so far,” he said.

The state assured the Centre that it was taking stringent action against black-marketeers and hoarders. “We have so far taken action against 1,438 retailers and raided 76 godowns,” said officials.

Earlier, Jena had said that it was the prime responsibility of the state government to see to it that there was no hoarding and black-marketing of fertilisers.

“If black-marketing of fertilisers is checked, the prices can be controlled and farmers can benefit,” Jena had told The Telegraph.

In a letter to Union minister of chemicals and fertilsers M.K. Alagiri on August 13, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had said there had been a sudden spurt in the prices of fertilisers, specifically of de-controlled phosphatic and potassic fertilisers. The prices, he had said, were also changing frequently resulting in a chaotic situation on the field. “The farmers are facing difficulty in ascertaining the prices of fertilisers. As a result, unscrupulous dealers are taking advantage of the situation and exploiting farmers,” Naveen had said.

Reacting to the letter, Jena had said it was the prime responsibility of the state government to punish unscrupulous dealers. “I don’t understand where the two lakh tonnes of fertiliser supplied by the Centre have gone. It was given to the state between February and June. There was no fertiliser sale till July. The dealers have enough stocks of fertilisers. The Odisha government should verify all its stocks,” Jena had said.