Diglipur Farmers Face Vegetable Crop Crisis as Fertilizer Supplies Run Dry

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Jan. 17: Farmers of Diglipur region are plagued with non-availability of fertilizers in winter sowing season.
According to information, the prospects of a good harvest of `cole crops’ and cultivation of other vegetable crops were severely affected due to reportedly non-supply of fertilizers by the Department of Agriculture during this crucial hour. Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, Mr. Kamal Halder, President, Diglipur Farmers’ Union alleged that the Agriculture Department isn’t supplying a key crop nutrient known as DAP to the farmers of Diglipur, and as a result of which the yield of vegetable crops has alarmingly dipped this year and which in turn has escalated the vegetable price.
On the other hand, vegetable growers left with no other options are purchasing fertilizers from the open market at higher prices and are compelled to dig deep into their pockets, Mr. Halder further claimed. “Non-supply of fertilisers like DAP & Urea in Diglipur and elsewhere in A & N Islands have hit the vegetable production especially in Diglipur, threatening the entire winter sowing season”, lamented the Diglipur Farmers’ Union’s President.
The cole crops like cauliflower, cabbage etc. would have been abundant in the market in Diglipur by this time and farmers would have been in a better position to sell and send vegetables to other parts of these islands had the farmers got the key crop nutrients from the Agriculture Department in time; but unfortunately it didn’t happen, and it portrays the absolute apathy of the administration towards farmers, alleged Mr. Halder.
Amid the situation, when Andaman Sheekha Daily posed questions to the local Agriculture Officials on the issue, they said that the issuance of chemical fertilizers like DAP, Urea etc is of a part of the India govt.’s policy matter; however, the Dept. is now supplying one of the most essential crop nutrients called MOP (Muriate of Potash) to the farmers and which is available at all the depots in Diglipur at present, the Officials further affirmed.