Do not panic, fertilizer stocks sufficient in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu tells farmers

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has reassured farmers that there is no need to worry about fertilizer supply in the State as stocks exceed actual demand this season.

Chairing a review meeting on horticulture crops, fertilizer availability, and marketing, at his Undavalli camp office on Tuesday, the Chief Minister directed the officials to strictly curb black marketing of urea and ensure its uninterrupted supply to the farmers.

Natural farming

He also instructed them to create awareness among the farmers about reducing the use of chemicals and to plan subsidies for those who adopt natural and low-input farming practices.

Fertilizer consumption at the farmer level would be tracked through the Rythu Seva Kendras, which would also maintain regular usage data.

“The government’s goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a State free from excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides,” Mr. Naidu said.

Highlighting the importance of horticulture, he directed that farmers cultivating 11 identified crops must receive prices that covered their cultivation costs, ensuring no farmer suffered losses.

Addressing a new borer infestation reported in 20 acres of coffee plantations, the Chief Minister ordered immediate removal of the affected plants, compensation for losses, and deployment of traps over the next three years to prevent further spread.

Onion procurement

In addition, Mr. Naidu instructed the officials to procure the entire onion crop and arrange drying facilities in the local community halls to protect the stocks.

On tobacco, the officials informed that payments of ₹54 crore had already been made to the farmers, with another ₹59 crore pending.

Urea availability

The officials informed that 2.02 lakh metric tonnes of urea had already been supplied to the State, which was 91,000 metric tonnes more than the previous year. Similarly, DAP supply stood at 51,700 metric tonnes, an increase of 16,000 metric tonnes, while complex fertilizers reached 2.72 lakh metric tonnes, which was 1.2 lakh metric tonnes higher than the previous year.

The Chief Minister stressed on constant monitoring through the Integrated Fertiliser Management System (IFMS) and e-Crop to track the actual usage and prevent rumours or artificial scarcity.

Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand, and senior officials from the Agriculture and Marketing departments were present.