No fertiliser shortage for kharif, rabi crops; govt prepared for El Nino, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Farmers will continue to receive urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) at subsidised rates despite concerns over global supplies amid the Middle East crisis, Union Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Saturday, asserting that the government has adequate fertiliser stocks and is prepared to deal with any impact of El Nino.Addressing reporters after the conclusion of the BRICS agriculture meeting in Indore, Chouhan said India has sufficient fertiliser stocks for the ongoing kharif season and is taking steps to ensure adequate supplies for the rabi crop cycle as well.“Our government has decided that farmers will continue to get urea and DAP at affordable rates. The government is bearing the burden of increased prices,” Chouhan said, news agency PTI quoted.“This will put an additional burden of thousands of crores of rupees on the exchequer, but we are prepared to bear it in the interest of farmers,” he added.The minister said the government was making efforts to ensure there is no shortage of fertilisers in the coming crop season.“Our government is making every possible effort to ensure sufficient fertiliser availability for rabi crops as well. I am confident that we will succeed in these efforts under all circumstances,” he said.Chouhan said discussions during the five-day BRICS agriculture meeting also focused on the balanced use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.He noted that India is already implementing several programmes to promote organic and natural farming as part of efforts to make agriculture more sustainable.Responding to concerns over the possible impact of El Nino on India, Chouhan said the government had taken adequate precautions.“El Nino will have an impact on India as well as other countries, but we have made adequate preparations. We will also cooperate with other nations through exchange of information and best practices,” he said.El Nino is a climate phenomenon that has historically been associated with weaker monsoon rainfall.