On Tuesday, a group of farmers threatened to stage a demonstration unless the government addressed the state’s severe fertiliser shortage. The Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS) claims that the government is pursuing anti-farmer policies and reducing agricultural and horticultural subsidies.
“Orchardists are starving for fertilisers,” said KSS convener and former Shimla mayor Sanjay Chauhan, “but the government has failed to ensure ample and timely supply of the same, forcing fruit farmers to purchase expensive and low-quality fertilisers on the open market.”
“If the government fails to provide fertilisers at a reasonable cost and in accordance with demand, we will mobilise the farmers and cause a ruckus,” the CPI leader said, emphasising that farmers need Potash, NPK 12:32:16, and NPK 15:15:15.
The government will provide fertilisers to farmers every year through the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing and Consumers’ Federation, (HIMFED) according to the farmers. On the other side, the government agency failed to place orders for the required number of fertilisers, resulting in a shortage. “The federal and state governments’ discontinuation of subsidies has resulted in a massive spike in the price of fertilisers,” they added.
25 kg of calcium nitrate cost $1,100 to $1,250 last year, but $1,300 to $1,750 this year. The price of a 50-kg bag of potash, which was 1,150 last year, has been hiked to 1,750 this year. The price of NPK 12:32:16 was 1,200 last year, but it has already jumped to 1,750 this year.
Chauhan further stated that the Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) was pressing farmers to buy fertilisers and other items to cover debts that had not been paid. “The government is pressuring farmers to pay higher input prices than the market allows.” “The government should immediately discontinue this and pay the arrears,” he continued.