Relief For AP Farmers: Centre Allocates Fresh Quota Of Urea
State agriculture minister K Atchannaidu said the chief minister had made a request to this effect to Union fertilizer minister and secured the allocation.
Vijayawada:Bringing major relief to farmers grappling with an acute shortage of urea during the ongoing Kharif season, the Centre has sanctioned the supply of 10,800 metric tonnes of it to Andhra Pradesh from the Dharmra Port in Odisha.
State agriculture minister K Atchannaidu said the chief minister had made a request to this effect to Union fertilizer minister and secured the allocation. He directed officials to dispatch the new stocks on a priority basis to regions facing critical shortage of fertilizer.
The agriculture minister said that 8,100 metric tonnes of urea from Coromandel International, which recently reached Karaikal Port in Tamil Nadu, has also been earmarked for Andhra Pradesh. He said the agriculture department was making arrangements to ensure swift distribution of the stocks to the needy areas.
Atchannaidu said, “Looking ahead, the Centre has assured Andhra Pradesh that further supplies are on the way. About 15,000 metric tonnes of urea are scheduled to reach Gangavaram Port by September 6, while another 30,000 metric tonnes will arrive at Kakinada Port in the second week of September.”
As many as five ships from Coromandel and three ships from IPL Company are expected to berth with the consignments, he said.
“All these allocations will be distributed across districts as per requirement. Farmers need not panic as there will be adequate urea available to meet the entire season’s demand,” the minister said.