The Hindu Business Line : Fertiliser shortage may hit wheat output plan

NEW DELHI: The Government’s plan to raise wheat output may be impacted as major producing states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have not received enough supply of the key DAP fertiliser in the first 20 days of the current sowing season.

According to the available Fertiliser Ministry data, out of 37 lakh tonne DAP required during the October-November sowing season, the availability of the phosphorus fertiliser was only 19.51 lakh tonne till November 23.

Soil experts argued that DAP and MOP demand must be met during the sowing period and it does not make sense to supply fertilisers after the sowing was over.

“Wheat sowing in Punjab and Haryana is almost over after it was started in the first week of November. Farmers need to spray the DAP at the time of sowing and urea can be put later on for the wheat crop,’’ an agriculture scientist said.

As farmers are applying NPK (complex fertilisers) as an alternative to DAP, scientists say it is difficult to assess the impact on wheat yield as the percentage of each nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorous and potash) varies from brand to brand.

“NPK cannot be an alternative to DAP. Without DAP there could be losses in wheat yield, but it is difficult to quantify as farmers also apply NPK,’’ the scientist pointed out.

The Centre is targeting to increase the wheat output by two million tonne in the 2009-10 season. The country produced a record 80.58 MT wheat last year. UP and MP have already intimated the Centre about the shortage, sources said. — PTI

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