Sufficient stock of fertilizers available in Cauvery Delta: Min

CHENNAI: Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam on Thursday said that there are sufficient quantities of fertilizers available in Cauvery Delta for Kuruvai cultivation.

"27,340 metric tonnes of urea, 10,010 metric tonnes of DAP, 6,160 metric tonnes of Potash, 9,480 metric tonnes of complex are required for June and at present 25,310 metric tonnes of urea, 20,000 metric tonnes of DAP, 13,360 metric tonnes of potash and 34,430 metric tonnes of complex fertilizers are available in the shops. Already, 22,280 metric tonnes of urea, 9,980 metric tonnes of DAP, 8,040 tonnes of potash and 13,180 tonnes of complex fertilizers have already been sold in this Kuruvai season,” said the Minister, in a statement.

He also said that strict action had been taken on shops involved in hoarding fertilizers. "So far, the officials carried out inspections in 12,513 retail fertilizers shops and during the raid it was found out that several shops were not abiding to the laws. Accordingly, the licence of 42 shops were suspended, licences of five shops were cancelled permanently. 184 metric tonnes of fertilizers which were not prepared according to the prescribed standards were seized and the license of five manufacturing plants were cancelled. FIRs were filed against the companies and the cases are pending in the court,” said the Minister.