STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Despite efforts by the State Agriculture Department to streamline the supply and distribution of fertilizer - especially urea - in recent months, a section of dealers and retailers are continuing to surreptitiously indulge in questionable trade by violating the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Agriculture Department.
It is common knowledge that fertilizer is a highly subsidized item and it is meant for the farmers of the country. However, it is observed that fertilizer is smuggled to neighbouring countries and farmers do not get fertilizers at the maximum retail price (MRP) fixed by the government.
In order to streamline the distribution of fertilizer, the state government held a high-level meeting wherein Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was himself present. It was decided at the meeting that no company will give more than 200 MT of urea from the rake to any dealer and that a dealer cannot give more than 20 MT of urea to a retailer at a time. Further, it was decided that the Assam Marketing Board will step into the fertilizer business. In view of the fact that the fertilizer business was being controlled by a few dealers, the fertilizer marketing network will be widened by appointing more retailers.
The present reality is that certain companies and retailers have violated the government's SOP. The Director of the Agriculture Department, Anant Lal Gyani wrote to the District Agricultural Officers of 20 districts on August 12 last in connection with "improper management of the fertilizer distribution system" and sought detailed responses from them. It may be pointed out that one dealer named Subir Paul has violated the SOP more than 50 times.
When contacted over violation of the SOP, Agriculture Director Mr Gyani told The Sentinel that the department swung into action as soon as violation of the 200 MT and 20 MT ceiling came to its notice. He said that the District Agricultural Officers have been instructed to take appropriate action against errant companies and submit reports in this regard within a week. Gyani said that some reports have been already received from District Agricultural Officers and the remainder will be received soon. Gyani said that the improper system of fertilizer distribution will not be allowed to continue in the state and things will fall into place once the new SOP is implemented in November. Time will tell whether the department will take action or not.
It is reported that some individuals and firms have obtained more than one retail licence in different districts and monopolizing the trade in three-four districts. Official records reveal that Subir Paul, Swastik Enterprises etc., have taken retailer licences in several districts and are supplying urea there. In short, the monopoly of the fertilizer business continues.
The Agriculture Department must ensure that no individual or firm can have more than one retail licence so that monopoly in the fertilizer business can be stopped.
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