CHANDIGARH (The Stellar News): Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr. Randeep Singh Nabha urged the Union Government to expedite proposed supply of DAP in view of ensuing rabi season as the State Government had already demanded 30 rakes between November 1 and 10, 2021.
Mr. Nabha said that wheat is a major rabi crop of Punjab, sown on an area of 35.00 lakh hectare with a total 5.50 lakh MT requirement of DAP for rabi crops. The Minister also said that out of the total requirement 4.80 lakh MT is required up to November, 2021 to ensure timely sowing of wheat crop. The Union Ministry of Chemical & Fertilisers has allocated 25 rakes of DAP to Punjab up to October 31, 2021 but so far 18 rakes have reached while the rest seven are under process, said the Minister adding that rabi crop season is on the brink of commence so the GoI should provide the requisite stock of DAP on priority basis.
The GoI has allocated 5.50 LMT of DAP for rabi 2021-22, said the Minister further adding that 1.97 LMT was the allocation for the month of October, of which 1.51 LMT had been received till now. The total stock of DAP available as on November 2, 2021 is 0.74 LMT whereas the GoI has allocated 2.56 LMT for the month of November, 2021, he added.
Describing that the DAP is an essential input for ensuring optimum productivity of wheat, which is being applied at the time of sowing as basal dose, the Minister said that the state demanded a total 5.50 LMT of which 4.53 had been allocated with receipt of 1.57 LMT so far for rabi 2021-22 crops. He said that for the month of October a demand of 2.75 LMT was put forth and 1.97 LMT had been allocated out of which 1.51 was received while 2.50 LMT DAP was demanded for the month of November with allocation of 2.56 and the state had received only 0.06 LMT.
Giving break up of demand, allocation and receipt of DAP during 2020-21, the Minister said that Punjab raised a demand of 5.50 LMT with allocation of 5.84 LMT whereas the receipt was 3.07 LMT while the consumption was 5.70 LMT. He also underlined the need to utilize other sources of phosphatic fertilizers like NPK (12:32:16), NPK (20:20:0:13) and SSP. Pertinently, the recommendations of PAU Ludhiana for DAP, NPK and SSP for wheat crop is DAP per acre 55 kg, NPK (12:32:16) 80 kg, NPK (20:20:0:13) 125 kg and SSP 155kg+20kg urea.
