Meghalaya govt plans to lift ban on fertilizer use, to provide 50 percent subsidy on purchase

The Meghalaya government has decided to relax the restriction on fertilisers in the state and to provide a 50% subsidy for the purchase of such fertilisers in the state on Thursday.

In 2014, Meghalaya's former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma oversaw the state's ban on the use of fertilisers.
According to deputy chief minister Prestone Tyngsong, the decision was made in response to persistent requests from the Khasi Hills Farmers Association. According to the Association, the prohibition has impacted both the farming community's ability to produce and its ability to generate cash.

"The state government has decided to lift the ban on the supply of fertilisers in the state of Meghalaya that was put in place by the government under the leadership of Dr. Mukul Sangma back in 2014," Deputy CM Tyngsong announced after the delegation of the farmers association met with him on Thursday at his official chamber.

“The agriculture department on August has already issued a notification that supplying fertilizers in Meghalaya is now allowed adding he concerned stakeholders, the farmers, can now procure these fertilizers”, said Dy CM Tyngsong. 
“Fertiliser is a controlled item as it is being regulated by the Ministry of fertilizer, government of India”, added Dy CM. 

The Deputy CM further stated that he and the Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will actively work with the relevant ministry in Delhi the next week to establish a distinct quota for the state of Meghalaya in order to ensure a steady supply of fertilisers.

The Meghalaya State Cooperative Marketing and Consumers' Federation Limited (MeCOFED), a division of the cooperation department, would ultimately handle the distribution of these fertilisers.
He added that the fertiliser shortage that began in 2014 and has continued to this day has forced all farmers to buy fertiliser on the black market or otherwise illegally, and that the cost has increased by up to four or five times from the initial price.

The Deputy CM further announced the government’s decision to extend a 50% subsidy for procurement of fertilizers.

“They requested the state government to also again extend the subsidy of the fertilizers. I have already informed them that the government has also taken a decision in a meeting with the CM that 50% subsidy will be extended to the farmers who procure these fertilizers,” he said adding “If the price of fertilizer is Rs 500 per kg then Rs 250 will be borne by the state government and Rs 250 will be borne by the concerned farmers.”

He informed that the notification in this regard will be issued by the cooperation department next week.
Asked by what percentage the production has been affected due to the ban on fertilizers, Tynsong said,” By and large we found out that the production percentage has gone down right from 2014 till today. For example if one farmer produces 100 kg of potato when they apply fertilizers but minus fertilizers that production percentage has gone down to 60 kgs only. Some of them 50 kgs so the reduction is so huge that the hue and cry of the farmers is highly justified. Therefore, the government has taken this decision.”

Although the government has made this decision, the agriculture department has been urged to raise awareness by holding more workshops and seminars at the local level to identify strategies for replacing fertilisers in due course, according to the deputy chief minister. 

“I should say this is the transitional period where the farmers also have to find out ways and means with the help of technologies and specialist agriculture officers I am sure we will be able to find a replacement for the usage of fertilizers,” he added. 

To another query, Tynsong responded, “That is why I am telling you we have done it from 2014 till today organic farming was being practiced but when we calculate all the detailed census we found out that the production has reduced drastically. When the production reduces, the income generation of the farmers also drastically reduces.”