DAP supply is affected this year, the agriculture department has also suggested that the Centre is giving emphasis to the use of complex fertilisers as a substitute for DAP. (File Photo)With the monsoon setting in and kharif sowing operations gathering pace across Odisha, concerns over the availability of urea and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) are mounting among farmers.Amid fears of an impending shortage, anxious farmers spent sleepless nights outside cooperative societies to get fertilisers in districts like Bargarh and Sundargarh, two major agrarian districts where the kharif season starts earlier than in coastal districts. There are also allegations of black marketing, with farmers claiming that nearly 40 percent of the total supply is being diverted.Also Read | How the fertilisers industry has become synonymous with controls, and at what costThe state government, however, claimed there was no shortage of fertilisers. Authorities also warned of a crackdown on hoarding and black marketing.What might have triggered apprehension among farmers is a letter issued by the agriculture department to district collectors to promote alternative nutrient sources amid supply concerns linked to the West Asia crisis.In a letter to all district collectors, Agriculture Secretary Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav said that the Centre plans to supply large quantities of ammonium sulphate as an alternative to urea. Since ammonium sulphate contains a high amount of sulphur, the department said it can also help address sulphur deficiency in soils.Also Read | How can Indian farmers be weaned away from urea, DAP and potash?Stating that DAP supply is affected this year, the agriculture department has also suggested that the Centre is giving emphasis to the use of complex fertilisers as a substitute for DAP.Jadhav said MARKFED, the government’s designated distribution agency, has been assigned to lift 60 percent of all kinds of fertilisers in every district from each supply. He asked the district collectors to place indent for complex fertilisers and ammonium sulphate accordingly against the quantity supplied to districts.Story continues below this adAccording to Ramesh Mohapatra, convenor of the United Farmers’ Forum in Bargarh, the government’s claim of adequate availability of fertilisers and smooth supply to districts is only on paper.“If the government has been claiming of adequate supply of fertilisers, why farmers are not getting it. The situation on ground is different from those claims. If government will not ensure adequate supply, we will hit the streets,” said Mohapatra.Odisha needs around 7-8 lakh tonnes of fertilisers, especially urea and DAP, during the June-September period, when kharif farming is at its peak.The issue has also triggered a political slugfest, with the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) targeting the BJP government in Odisha over the short supply and black marketing of fertilisers. Former agriculture minister Arun Sahoo said only one-tenth of the total required fertilisers has been supplied to the districts till date.Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More Tags:farmerOdisha