Uttar Pradesh agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Wednesday said there was no shortage of fertilisers in the state, stating that most districts have sufficient stocks available for farmers. He said 64 districts have more than 4,000 metric tonnes of fertilisers each, while only 11 districts have stocks of less than 200 metric tonnes, reported Hindustan Times.
The minister made the statement in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly while responding to an adjournment motion moved by the opposition on the availability of fertilisers and the payment of sugarcane dues to farmers. The issue was raised by Samajwadi Party MLAs Saiyada Khatoon, Atul Pradhan and Pankaj Malik.
Without directly naming the Samajwadi Party, Shahi said that sugarcane was cultivated on about 22 lakh hectares during the earlier government’s tenure. He said that under the present government, payments to sugarcane farmers are being made on a regular basis.
Speaking about sugarcane procurement, the minister said that when Mata Prasad Pandey was the speaker during the previous government, sugar mills had purchased cane worth less than ₹18,000 crore. He said mills in the state are now buying sugarcane worth around ₹34,000 crore.
Shahi said that farmers earlier had to wait for long periods to get fertilisers, but fertilisers are now being supplied without delay. He also said that while sugarcane payments were earlier made in three instalments, farmers are now receiving the full payment in one go.
He alleged that the previous government had announced a price of ₹315 for sugarcane but paid only ₹280, leaving the remaining amount unpaid, while the current government is paying ₹400.
The minister also referred to complaints from Siddharthnagar district, where he said fertilisers were available in adequate quantity but reports of black marketing, overpricing, forced bundling and smuggling had surfaced in recent days. He said Siddharthnagar district agriculture officer Mohammad Muzammil had been suspended with immediate effect for failing to control these issues and act firmly against those involved.
Shahi told the House that the state government is determined to safeguard farmers’ interests and will not tolerate any wrongdoing in fertiliser distribution. He said officials have been instructed to ensure smooth supply of fertilisers in their areas and to take strict action against those engaged in illegal activities. He added that no officer or employee who hinders farmers’ access to fertilisers will be spared.
