Agriculture Department inspects fertiliser shops in Faridkot district

In view of the shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, the Agriculture Department has tightened the noose of all fertiliser dealers in the area.

As part of the special campaign, department officials are making sudden physical verification of DAP and other fertilisers at the shops and warehouses of fertiliser sellers in rural and urban areas.

Chief Agriculture Officer, Faridkot, Dr Amrik Singh, said that a special campaign is being conducted against the black-marketing and hoarding of DAP so that farmers do not face problems in getting DAP as per requirement.

Instructions have also been issued that the amount and price of fertiliser in stock should be written in the fertiliser stock board on a daily basis at the shops of the dealers.

To check the hoarding of DAP and other phosphate-based fertilisers, the Agriculture Department conducted sudden inspection of fertiliser stock of various dealers in Faridkot, Kotkapura and Sadiq area of the district.

The department has conveyed to all fertiliser dealers to display prominently the available stock of the phosphate and other fertilisers with them and also mention the rate. Amrik Singh said that phosphorus is required for wheat sowing. He urged the farmers not to rely solely upon DAP to meet phosphorus demand of the wheat crop. Single super phosphate and other phosphatic fertilisers could also be used.

He instructed the fertiliser sellers to ensure that proper bill is given to every buyer of these fertilisers and only the necessary material should be sold to the farmers. No other unnecessary items should be imposed upon the farmers. He asked farmers to get the bill from the shopkeeper while buying fertilizers.