Comfortable stock of fertilisers available: Centre

With the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) expecting normal monsoon this year, the Centre on Thursday said it is taking all steps to ensure comfortable supply of fertilisers to farmers across the country

Despite the lockdown, the Centre has ensured there is sufficient availability of fertilisers across the country, Union Fertilisers D V Sadananda Gowda, said here.

"As of now availability position is comfortable," Gowda tweeted.

The government is constantly monitoring the production of fertilisers and its transportation to various depots without much hassle.

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There is complete coordination with various agencies at the Centre and the state and union territories administration to ensure the adequate availability of major farm input.

South-West Monsoon season (June-September) rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be normal (96% -100%) said IMD officials. The normal monsoon will always raise hope for higher agriculture output.

The Department of Fertiliser has advised all the fertilisers producing companies and related firms to ensure sufficient production and smooth movement of fertilisers from plants and ports. The unloading of held up rakes has been done through a concerted effort with the Ministry of Railways and respective state agriculture departments. The intensive monitoring is going on an hourly and daily basis said an official from the Ministry of Fertilisers.

Instructions have been issued to explore the possibility of additional storage of fertilisers in nearby plants.

The Department of Fertilisers is coordinating with the Ministry of Shipping for priority berthing of fertilisers and also allow unloading and movement of fertilizers at ports.

The government also constituted a team of officials has been constituted to prepare clear road map regarding key reforms and other initiatives in order to restore growth in the medium to long term in the fertilizer sector and oversee implementation of the road map, said the official.