BHOPAL : It is ironical that Urea, which was in shortage last year, is going to go waste this year. Urea worth Rs 150 crore may go waste this year. This situation has developed because the Centre has made normal allocation while the demand has fallen because of the shrinkage in the area under cultivation. The state government has to ask the Centre not to send anymore Urea to the state.
MARKFED Managing Director BM Sharma has written to the state government about excess supply of urea. Sharma in his letter mentioned that 2 lakh tons of Urea is available in stock.
According to sources, wheat was sown on 60 lakh hectare land in state last year which has reduced to 50 lakh hectare this year. The reduction in sowing has led to decrease in demand for urea. Last year, the state was allotted 12 lakh ton urea.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, when there was shortage of urea, had requested Union Minister for Fertilisers Anantha Kumar to provide more urea to the state and the state was allocated 18 lakh ton of urea this year. So far, 12 lakh ton urea has been received while 55,000 ton of urea is supposed to come this month.
Agriculture Production, Commissioner, PC Meena said state is supply of urea. Meena said reduction in sowing has taken place due to less rainfall that is why consumption of urea is less. He said problem is being faced as societies do not have storage facility. He said the Centre has been asked not to send urea to the state after this month. Meena said problems may arise if it rains.
