In its 83-year history, the FACT (Fertilizers And Chemicals Travancore), a Kochi-based Central public sector undertaking, has produced for the first time Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), a much-needed basal fertilizer, and supplied its first batch to Tirunelveli district for the upcoming ‘kar’ paddy season.

Price of sulphuric acid, the raw material for basal fertilizers being applied for a range of crops including paddy, has skyrocketed after war broke-out in the West Asia. Consequently, the basal fertilizers’ price, which stood at ₹1,375 per 50 Kg bag, in March last has gone up to ₹2,100 now and is likely to cross ₹2,400 next month.

As the ‘kar’ paddy season is fast approaching with the onset of southwest monsoon, the Union Government has placed orders with a West Asian country for supplying DAP and around 30,000 tonnes of this the basal fertilizer is likely to reach VOC Port, Thoothukudi in June-end. And, this consignment will be shared by Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and hence the imported quantity may not meet the actual demand of the farmers from these five States.

Sensing this situation, the FACT, which is producing all these years Factamfos, a complex granular fertilizer providing vital nutrients of nitrogen (20%), phosphorous (20%) and sulphur (13%), has started manufacturing DAP for the first time to bail-out the farmers and save them from this acute price rise. The first batch of FACT’s DAP – 30 tonnes - reached Tirunelveli on last Saturday, said sources in the Department of Agriculture.

Interestingly, the FACT’s DAP is supplied at the rate of ₹1,350 even now while other basal fertilizers are sold at ₹2,100 per 50 Kg bag.

A senior official of FACT said his company would be manufacturing 1,000 tonnes of DAP during this June, which would be increased to 10,000 tonnes in the coming months. Hence, the FACT is likely to effectively meet the demand for DAP during this ‘kar’ paddy season.

Fertilizer stockist Mohammed Ali of Maanur, who received the FACT’s first DAP consignment, is a much relieved man as he could sell this chemical nutrient at ₹1,350 now.

“Demand for basal fertilizer would go up sharply during this season as the farmers would start ‘kar’ paddy season. However, the unprecedented price rise has hit them hard. The farmers, who are already battling the nature’s vagaries, have to face the steep increase of basal fertilizer price after the war in West Asia. I am facing the farmers’ anger everyday. Now, the FACT has rescued the agriculturists going in for ‘kar’ paddy cultivation with its DAP, which is still available at affordable price. It is a great relief for the fertilizer traders like me,” said Mr. Mohammed Ali.