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Fertilizer crisis apprehended in Sherpur district

From Ratan Chowdhury
SHERPUR, Feb 12: After the urea fertilizer crisis shook the entire district including all its adjoining parts recently another earth shaking crisis is expected in near future.
In the open market, a farmer is finding a bag of TSP (50 kg bag) selling at Taka 257 more then the rate fixed by the government. TSP official selling rate is Taka 343. but in each and every places of the areas TSP is being sold at Taka 600 to 630 per 50 kg bag. To meet the TSP crisis, concerned authority or government is yet to take any effective measure to metigrate the suffering of the farmers. S M Shajahan Ali Chowdhury farmer of Kamar-erchar under sadar thana of the district told to The Daily Star. TSP season begins from September. So to meet any shortfall administration or Agricultural Department did not took any initiative to solve the suffering of the farmers.
On the other hand, many unscrupulous dealers are fleecing farmers by selling them grey colour SSP (single sugar phosphate) claiming It to be similar to grey coloured
Local experts said In the market Instead of TSP. it is SSP which is generally being
sold to the gullible members of the farmers community. These sources claimed that since SSP looks similar to TSP. some profit hungry dealers have smuggled in low quality SSP fertilizer from a neighbouring country. They are reaping enormous profits. Only the SSP using farmers are suffering.
An agri expert Rezaul Karim Chowdhury (Teacher of Mymensingh Agri-versity) told to this correspondent TSP has 46% phosphate and 13% calcium, this combination works as^a helpful nutrient for the crops. SSP has 18% phosphate and 20% calcium. TSP helps crop yield to
Increase three fold. SSP increases yield by only one third. Due to used SSP against TSP farmers are undergoing heavy financial loss by purchasing SSP unknowingly as TSP. The government rate of TSP is Taka 343 per 50 kg bag while SSP price is Taka 180 for a similar bag. After using SSP the farmer is getting a considerably low yield than he would have got from using TSP.
District Agriculture Department sources told to The Daily Star, we have received complaints but we have no official capacity to take any positive action. If strict government measures are not taken farmers will continue to suffer.
Distribution and marketing system of fertilizer allocated whole sell dealers handled total distribution and marketing after lifting their allotted quota from the mIH or respective places, they controlling. This system allowed dealers to much leeway for undue profiteering, said Md Mazharul Islam Helal. President District unit Krishak league. He further added. Judicial enquiry should constitute by the higher authoritative into the reasons for the TSP crisis and pin point the persons.