Farmers shell out more on fertilisers post bifurcation

Khammam: State bifurcation has an adverse effect on farmers in the district. They are facing delay in procuring chemical fertilizers and also additional burden of Rs 20 to 30 on each bag.

Supply of fertilizers from Krishna, East and West Godavari districts to Khammam district was stopped after state was bifurcated. Dealers across the district are procuring fertilizers through goods trains stationed at Khammam railway station by hiring lorries. They are collecting hiring charges on each bag from farmers.

When state was united, the successive governments took the responsibility of distributing fertilizers to dealers from the sea ports at Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam by bearing transportation costs. Besides, the state governments used to bear transport costs of the fertilizers which were supplied to dealers up to a distance of 500 kilometres from manufacturing units like Nagarjuna Fertilizers, Indian Potash Limited and Kribhco. About 3000 lorries used to supply fertilizers to the district from fertilizer manufacturing companies. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers used to pay up to Rs 2.50 crore for lorry owners towards transport charges. It was paying transportation costs in order to avoid burden on dealers.

Supply of fertilizers was stopped through lorries in the kharif season. Dealers are depending on railway wagons to get fertilizer stocks. Prior to bifurcation, dealers used to supply fertilizers in the district by procuring from wholesale dealers at Tadepalligudem, Hanuman Junction and other places whenever there was shortage of fertilizers. District did not face shortage of fertilizers in the last eight years.

With state bifurcation, farmers are in a catch-22 situation. All the fertilizer manufacturing companies which are located in successor state of Andhra Pradesh are supplying fertilizer stocks only through goods trains. Fertilizer stocks from manufacturers can be procured through lorries if they are allowed to be kept in godowns which are approved by the central government or godowns which are under the direct control of fertilizer manufacturing units. Dealers can procure fertilizers only from godowns by bearing transport expenses.

They have to bear an additional cost of Rs 10,000 for each lorry if fertilizer stocks are transported to mandals which are far off from district headquarters. Dealers said that they are forced to collect Rs 20 to Rs 30 on each bag from farmers.