The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday demanded the Central government withdraw the steep hike in diammonium phosphate (DAP) and nitrogen phosphorus potash (NPK) fertilisers.
(Representational Image: IANS)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday demanded the Central government withdraw the steep hike in diammonium phosphate (DAP) and nitrogen phosphorus potash (NPK) fertilisers.
SAD farmer wing president Sikander Singh Maluka said the increase of Rs 150 per bag in the case of DAP and Rs 100 per bag in the case of NPK would break the back of farmers and force them into a debt trap.
“Farming is already becoming un-remunerative. The hike in the rates of fertilisers will put an unbearable burden on the farmers of the state who are already facing the consequences of the steep hike in diesel prices. In case this hike is not rolled back it will have an adverse effect on the agrarian economy and could prove to be devastating for the peasantry”, he said.
Demanding the government immediately direct fertiliser major IFFCO to take back its decision to hike the price of DAP and NPK fertilisers, Maluka if this was not done it would not only reduce the income of wheat, paddy and maize farmers but would also severely effect potato and sugarcane farmers who used large quantities of DAP.
He said potato farmers used as much as four bags of DAP per acre while sugar cane farmers used three bags of DAP per acre.
Speaking about the present crisis in Punjab agriculture, Maluka said Punjab farmers had suffered a loss of as much as Rs 10,000 per acre due to partial failure of their wheat crop.
He said it was unfortunate that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government did not even approach the Centre to secure relief from the Centre from the disaster management fund.
“Punjab farmers suffered because of unprecedented rain in February followed by an immediate hike in temperatures in March. With no relief in sight the state has already witnessed fourteen suicides in the last one month alone and the situation could worsen if not tackled immediately,” the SAD leader said.
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