100 bags of fertiliser stolen at Chahal

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 11

Unidentified persons have stolen 100 bags of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), a fertiliser, worth more than Rs 1.30 lakh, from a cooperative society store at Chahal village, situated at a distance of about two km from Faridkot.

The images of the accused, captured by CCTVs, showed that they entered the store around 1.23 am on Thursday and broke open the locks using iron rods.

They loaded 100 DAP bags (each containing 50 kg) in an unknown vehicle and escaped. The police have started search for the accused.

With the starting of sowing of rabi crops this month, DAP is in high demand. Besides, the steep rise in the price of this fertiliser is believed to be another reason for the thieves targeting it.

In the past two weeks, the price of DAP per bag has increased from Rs 1,150 to Rs 1,400 (about 22 per cent rise).

DAP is in high demand during October and November for its use in wheat sowing.

Increase in DAP price is attributed to rupee depreciation. The calculation of increase in DAP price is based on the premise that the impact of currency has been passed on by the industry to the farmers to safeguard their margin.