Farmers complain of potash shortage in Thanjavur
This year, kuruvai paddy has been cultivated in around 1.95 lakh acres, which is 43,000 acres more than last year. While farmers are hopeful of a good season owing to comfortable storage levels in Mettur dam and recent rain, the shortage of potash has emerged a major worry.
'There is a need to apply potash in my field as the crop is in the tillering stage, but it is not available in government depots,' said R Sukumaran, a farmer from Orathanadu.
He added that private traders were charging Rs 2,000 for a 50kg bag, against the MRP of Rs 1,800. Villappan Sundar, a farmer near Thanjavur, said he was forced to buy from private traders due to the absence of stock in government depots.
Traders admitted they were unable to meet the demand. 'I don't have potash in stock now. Fertilizer companies insist on purchasing supplementary nutrients along with potash, but the price is high and farmers are unwilling to buy them,' said a private dealer.
Officials of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department said that 1,000 tonnes of potash would arrive next week. They noted that the last consignment of 1,000 tonnes was sold out within days.
'Increased coverage of Kuruvai this year and bulk purchases by coconut farmers have caused the scarcity,' an official said, pointing out that while paddy farmers need 50kg of potash per acre, coconut farmers require 150 kg per acre.
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