Association to stop bringing in fertilizers

IMPHAL, April 4: Speaking to media persons during a press meet at the Manipur press club, Y Madhuchandra Singh, Secretary of All Manipur Fertilizer Dealers Welfare Association said that the Agriculture Department, Manipur was responsible for bringing in fertilizers for the general public from outside Manipur 20 years back but since it was unsuccessful, authorized fertilizer dealers took it over  and served the public  facing hardships such as breakdown of factories, bandh, blockade, landslides etc .

He further claimed that MLAs and Ministers provided fertilizers to the farmers at the subsided rate through the fertilizers brought by dealers at their own expense  and alleged, "During kharif season in 2012, the Agriculture Department sanctioned  Rs 9.60 crores and the Agricultural Director was made a dealer. Subsequently, the Fertilizers brought in by the Director were subsidized while the dealers’ fertilisers were not subsidised. As such, dealers lost even the capital.'

Maintaining that the Agriculture Director is responsible for the two varying two rates of fertilisers  brought in from the same factory,  Y Madhuchandra Singh further announced that dealers will stop bringing fertilisers into the state  if the government fails to take up measures against the loss sustained by the dealers.