<p>State Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti led a delegation of Karnataka MPs to meet Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to explain the shortage in fertilisers and ask for immediate assistance from the Centre. <br /><br />In a memorandum submitted to Pawar, the state had said that it currently has a shortfall of two lakh tonnes of Urea, as it had received only 2.5 lakh tonnes against the requirement of 4.5 lakh tonnes. It also demanded 20,000 tonnes of MOP. <br /><br />The delegation requested the Centre to stop Nepal from dumping low-quality areca nut in local markets, which would impact growers in the country. Taking advantage of the low cost regime, a large number of growers produce areca nuts of low quality in Nepal and smuggle it to India through ports. <br /><br />Besides affecting farmers, most of whom are in Karnataka, the delegation said gutkha manufacturers use the low quality areca nuts, which would affect the health of Indian consumers. <br /><br />The MPs delegation comprised of Ananth Kumar Hegde, Nalin Kumar Katil, Ramesh Jigajinagi, Prabhakar Kore, P C Chacko, G M Siddeshwara and Shivakumar Udasi.<br /></p>
<p>State Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti led a delegation of Karnataka MPs to meet Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to explain the shortage in fertilisers and ask for immediate assistance from the Centre. <br /><br />In a memorandum submitted to Pawar, the state had said that it currently has a shortfall of two lakh tonnes of Urea, as it had received only 2.5 lakh tonnes against the requirement of 4.5 lakh tonnes. It also demanded 20,000 tonnes of MOP. <br /><br />The delegation requested the Centre to stop Nepal from dumping low-quality areca nut in local markets, which would impact growers in the country. Taking advantage of the low cost regime, a large number of growers produce areca nuts of low quality in Nepal and smuggle it to India through ports. <br /><br />Besides affecting farmers, most of whom are in Karnataka, the delegation said gutkha manufacturers use the low quality areca nuts, which would affect the health of Indian consumers. <br /><br />The MPs delegation comprised of Ananth Kumar Hegde, Nalin Kumar Katil, Ramesh Jigajinagi, Prabhakar Kore, P C Chacko, G M Siddeshwara and Shivakumar Udasi.<br /></p>
