Bhubaneswar: In anticipation of potential shortages of fertilisers during the ongoing kharif season, the Odisha Government has directed district administrations to promote alternative nutrient sources, ensuring uninterrupted support for farmers.
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment has instructed all collectors to encourage the use of complex fertilisers as substitutes for DAP and ammonium sulphate instead of urea, particularly for paddy cultivation, aligning with the central government’s strategy to optimise availability amid constrained supplies.
It further stated that the Centre has arranged for substantial supplies of ammonium sulphate, which contains 20.5 per cent nitrogen and 23 per cent sulphur. This fertiliser not only fulfils nitrogen needs for crops but also helps address sulphur deficiency in the soil, an essential nutrient for healthy plant growth.
To ensure smooth distribution, the Odisha State Cooperative Marketing Federation (MARKFED) has been tasked with lifting 60 per cent of the total fertiliser allocation for each district. “So, MARKFED personnel at the district level may place indent for Complex Fertilisers and Ammonium Sulphate accordingly against the quantity supplied to the district,” it added.
The directive has been shared with Chief District Agriculture Officers for swift implementation and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to facilitate lifting and distribution statewide. Treating the matter as urgent, the Agriculture Department has called for coordinated efforts among all agencies to minimise the impact of any DAP and urea shortages on farming activities.
In parallel, the state government has reassured citizens that robust, proactive measures are underway to tackle the low rainfall situation in the catchment areas of major reservoirs, including Balimela and Machkund. Following a high-level review meeting, Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, who also hold the Agriculture portfolio, advised to safely navigate the low rainfall period.
Strict guidelines are in place to maintain optimum reservoir levels, conserving reserves primarily for critical uses before considering allocations for power generation.
The Deputy CM described the temporary halt in power generation at Balimela as a responsible step to protect the agricultural sector. “While nature has presented a dry spell in the catchment areas, the state’s power grid remains perfectly stable through strategic alternative procurement. We stand firmly with our farmers, and citizens need not panic about power or water shortages,” he stressed.
A comprehensive State Contingency Plan has been activated, with the Agriculture, Energy, and Water Resources departments implementing localised strategies to protect standing crops. The government has reassured citizens that proactive measures are in place to manage water and energy resources efficiently, ensuring no disruptions to daily power supply or farming operations during the weak monsoon period. “To mitigate any power deficit caused by the reduction in hydro-generation, the Energy Department, along with GRIDCO and OHPC, has established a robust alternative power procurement framework. Through active collaboration with the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC), Regional Load Despatch Centre (RLDC), and National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC), the state is securing power from and external grids to guarantee that the public faces no disruption in daily power supply,” an official release said.
High-level talks are also underway with the Andhra Pradesh government for the early restoration and modernisation of the Machkund project, it added.
