The Hindu Business Line : MoP shortage affects Assam tea estates

Indian Tea Association (ITA) has expressed concern over shortage of murate of potash (MoP) in Assam, pointing out that it is affecting overall manuring programme of the State’s tea gardens.

The shortage has been on since August last year but repeated appeals to India Potash Ltd (IPL), the sole canalised importing agency for MoP, has yielded no results so far, according to a press release issued by ITA

During the rabi season (October-March), Assam’s tea industry requires an estimated 20,000 tonnes of MoP. But the last MoP rake that moved into the State was in August last year. Now that the tea season has come to an end and the estates are undertaking soil preparation and maintenance of bushes for the new season, the use of MoP is critical.

Also, the ambitious re-plantation and rejuvenation programme, currently being encouraged by the Union Government under Tea Board’s Special Purpose Tea Fund, is critically dependent on timely application of fertilisers. The current shortage may therefore adversely affect the programme, apprehends ITA.

At a meeting convened recently in Guwahati by the Assam’s Agriculture Commissioner, the MoP shortage issue was discussed. The representatives of the organised tea industry, and major fertiliser manufacturing and distributing companies active in the State were present.

It was revealed at the meeting that the shortage had been created mainly by two factors: The suspension of fresh imports by IPL due to the sharp rise in the global prices and the inadequate coverage of the transportation cost for moving the material to the North-East under the Freight Reimbursement Scheme of the Union Government.

ITA has urged the Union Commerce Ministry’s Plantations Department to ensure immediate movement of at least nine to 10 rakes of MoP into Assam from the nearest points, where IPL is holding stocks, the press release adds.