Govt to strengthen monitoring of fertiliser distribution

The government has decided to strengthen monitoring to prevent any artificial shortage of fertiliser.

Md Sayedul Islam, secretary to the agriculture ministry, has directed the field-level agriculture officials to strengthen monitoring and conduct regular mobile courts so that no one can create an artificial shortage of fertiliser and charge high prices. 

He gave these instructions in a virtual meeting on the present overall fertiliser situation held at the Secretariat on Sunday afternoon. He said the country has sufficient stock of fertilisers, and there is no chance of shortage anywhere across the country.

He called upon the agriculture officials to take extra precautions so that none can deliberately create a fertiliser crisis by spreading rumours. It was informed in the meeting that there is sufficient stock of all kinds of fertilisers in the country against the demand. At present, stock of urea fertiliser is 6,49,000 tonnes, TSP 3,94,000 tonnes, DAP 7,36,000 tonnes, MOP 2,73,000 tonnes.

Against the current stock of fertilisers, demand for urea fertiliser in the Amon season (August-October) is 6,19,000 tonnes while TSP is 1,19,000 tonnes, DAP 2,25,000 tonnes and MOP 1,37,000 tonnes. At the meeting, the agriculture secretary asked the field officers to strengthen monitoring up to the union level to ensure that the dealers get the allotted fertilisers on time, fertiliser is not sold without vouchers, and the fertiliser price list is displayed in dealers’ and retailers’ shops.

He also instructed to confirm the arrival of fertiliser visiting the dealer’s warehouse. Regional agriculture department offices will maintain close contact with the district administration and upazila administration and conduct mobile courts regularly. Any information on the sale of fertilisers at higher prices should be reported immediately and disciplinary action should be taken against the dealer concerned.