Officials-trader nexus behind fertilizer shortage: Delta farmers
TIRUCHY: Alleging an agri officials-traders nexus behind the artificial shortage of fertilizers, farmers from Delta region staged a protest on Monday demanding the government to conduct surprise raids across the region. They also sent a petition in this regard to the Chief Minister.
According to the protesting farmers, continuous heavy rains across the region have badly affected samba and thalady crops and farmers needed to use potash to save the crops from the damage. However, potash, which was sold at Rs 1,040 per bag, was now being sold at Rs 1,700 by traders claiming that there was a short supply of the fertilizer. They demanded the Union Government to intervene in the issue and take steps to bring down the price.
Meanwhile, farmers, who approach the primary agricultural cooperative credit society, are often told that there was a short supply and they are left with no other option other than buying the fertilizers from private firms at a higher price. “The private firms create an artificial shortage of fertilizers and the officials are aware of it but hesitate to take action. So we suspect a nexus between traders and the officials’’, said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan,
Secretary, the Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.
Vimalnathan further said that the state government should identify such officials and initiate action against them.
The farmers assembled in front of the office of the Kumbakonam RDO and raised slogans in support of their demand. They also demanded to reduce the price of potash and increase the subsidy level for fertilizers.