The Centre on Monday assured Bellary MP Karunakara Reddy that steps would be taken immediately to address the problem of shortage of fertilisers not only in the district but in the entire state.

Union chemicals and fertilisers minister Ramvilas Paswan directed his ministry officials to look into the demand for supply of an additional 10,000 tonne each of DAP and complex fertilisers to the district.

Reddy, who met Paswan here, told him that as per the supply plan of the Centre, Bellary district was allotted 44,000 tonne of fertiliser but there was a shortage of 14,000 tonne. Farmers have been suffering because of this which has resulted in crop losses in the district.

The MP, who met Ministry Secretary Sreedhara Sarma, said the latter has ordered that fertilisers should reach the district in three days.