Probably Karnataka is the first state to have swung into action immediately after parliamentary elections to take stock of supply-demand situation of fertiliser and seeds ahead of the kharif season. The government?s well-in-advance action comes in the wake of police firing that caused death of a farmer, sparking state-wide protests due to shortage of fertiliser during the last kharif season.

?I have urged farmers not to panic this year as the government has taken enough steps to stock the required quantity of fertilisers,? Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa told FE.

The CM?s assurance comes after holding a meeting with senior officers and ministers of agriculture, cooperative and horticulture. The high-level meeting, which mainly focused to avoid any untoward incidents this year due to fertisliser shortage, was conducted on May 4, immediately after the final phase of parliamentary elections that ended on April 30 in the state.

Yeddyurappa said farmers would be supplied with various kinds of fertilisers they require during the forthcoming kharif season between May and September.

In June 2008, farmers? protest over fertiliser shortage took ugly turn when the state police opened fire that killed a farmer in Haveri district in North Karnataka, spreading riot-like protests across the state. The inadequate fertiliser supply also led to several suicides by farmers, paving way for blame game between ruling and opposition parties in the state. The BJP-led Yeddyurappa government blamed that the UPA government has not supplied adequate fertiliser to Karnataka while Congress, which is in the Opposition in the state, alleged the chief minister was not taking adequate measures to maintain fertiliser stock.

However, this year the government has adopted all the measures to ensure free flow of fertisliser and seeds in the state, officials claimed.

According to Yeddyurappa, the total requirement of fertilisers till September year would be in the range of 22.19 lakh tonne that include 4.45 lakh tonne of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), 2.90 lakh tonne of muriate of potash (MoP), 5.70 lakh tonne of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium), eight lakh tonne of urea and 1.14 lakh tonne of other fertilisers

He said the government had already spent Rs 312 crore through the Karnataka State Marketing Federation (Markfed) to procure fertilisers. Markfed borrowed Rs 400 crore from banks to purchase fertilisers. The government will bear 4% of interest on the loan. So far, the state had procured 2.8 lakh tonne of fertislisers. The Centre has assured the state that it would provide 2.66 lakh tonne of fertislisers by May-end.

As on May 1, the state stocked 1.42 lakh tonne of DAP and 70,558 tonne of NKP while the Centre would supply 1.65 lakh tonne of DAP, 73,180 tonne of NPK, 25,000 tonne of MoP and 56,380 tonne of urea this month for the farmers to take preparatory work for kharif sowing. The government would release 2.66 lakh tonne of fertilisers in May, 4.35 lakh tonne in June, 4.45 lakh tonne in July, 4.45 lakh tonne in August and 4.52 lakh tonne in September. Karnataka agriculture minister SA Ravindranath said the state

government has received assurance from the Centre that it would fulfil the requirement of fertiliser. Even if the Centre failed to strictly adhere to monthly schedule, he said the state is well equipped to deal with such a situation. The state had set a target of producing 118 lakh tonne of foodgrains from 76.95 lakh hectares during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2009-10. The total demand of certified seeds for kharif season was estimated at 7.20 lakh quintals. However the government had arranged for 7.73 lakh quintals. The state government has already stocked 1.53 lakh quintals in godown, he said, adding that the government will soon take decision on subsidy to be offered for seeds. The government offered 50% subsidy last year for farmers to purchase seeds. This year the government is contemplating to offer subsidy depending on the variety of seeds.

Taking stock

• The state stocked 1.42 lakh tonne of DAP and 70,558 tonne of NKP

• The Centre would supply 1.65 lakh tonne of DAP, 73,180 tonne of NPK, 25,000 tonne of MoP and 56,380 tonne of urea

• The government would release 2.66 lakh tonne of fertilisers in May, 4.35 lakh tonne in June, 4.45 lakh tonne in July, 4.45 lakh tonne in August and 4.52 lakh tonne in September

• The state had set a target of producing 118 lakh tonne of foodgrains from 76.95 lakh hectares during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2009-10