By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 23, 2020: Shortage of fertilizer in Odisha has put lakhs of farmers in a tight spot.

In fact, the hapless farmers are protesting before the authorities at several places as they fear huge losses if the fertilizer is not made available at the peak of Kharif crop season.

In some places farmers have been left with little option but to buy fertiliser at inflated rates from the open market due to shortage of stocks at Large Area Multi-Purpose Societies (LAMPS).

State Cooperation minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said, efforts are being made to address the farmers’ issue. “As Kharif crop needs sufficient urea, the State government is taking all necessary steps to provide fertiliser to the farmers. MARKFED has provided 1, 17,550 metric tons of urea to all the 30 districts this year,” Swain tweeted.

On Friday, Union Fertiliser Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the Centre is committed to ensure uninterrupted supply of fertilizers to Odisha while responding to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s request seeking immediate redressal of the shortage of urea fertiliser in the State.