He has planted in the one and a half bigha of land he acquired in Bataiya. However, more than the field being submerged in water, he is worried about the fact that he still has not been able to get fertilizer.
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Munni Sah, 50, of Koiladi Madhepura, Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality-6, Saptari, looked worried as he looked at the flooded field. He is worried as the one and a half bigha of Batiya (Bataiya) field he had planted was submerged by rain and canal water. He has only one kaththa of his own field. Seeing that his family could not make a living by cultivating only that field, he took a field in Batiya and planted it.
Despite the lack of fertilizer, his field has been submerged for 3/4 days. He has no choice but to watch the paddy he has planted now. ‘The rain and canal water made it easy to irrigate, but due to the lack of fertilizer, he waited a few days to plant,’ he said. ‘In the first phase, when the dealer was selling fertilizer, he went there but was disappointed when he received the reply that the fertilizer had run out by the time he reached there.’
He complained that he has not received fertilizer even after completing the sowing without applying fertilizer. ‘I am waiting for the water in the field to recede while searching for fertilizer,’ he added, ‘If it does not rain for another 2/3 days, the water will dry up.’ But if it rains, he is worried that the investment he has made so far will be submerged.’
Local 72-year-old Satan Sah’s field is also submerged. He has also sown in a one and a half bigha field taken from Bataiya. However, more than the field being submerged, he is worried about the fact that he has not yet received fertilizer. ‘Who understands the pain of farmers? This time, we sowed a little earlier when the weather was favorable, but for us, the problem of fertilizer is the same,’ he said, ‘If the field is not fertilized, there will be no production.’ If the sun shines like today (Tuesday), the water will dry up. Then it is very important to apply fertilizer, but we are not sure about getting fertilizer.’
He complained that despite pleading everywhere, he could not get fertilizer. ‘I had thought of going to Pari (India) to get fertilizer, but if the police snatch it, I could not dare, seeing the problem of money to buy fertilizer twice,’ he added, ‘If production cannot be done, how will the children earn their livelihood, I have not been able to sleep.’
More than 40 bighas of crops in that area, including their fields, are submerged. 1,218 bags of DAP fertilizer received from Salt Trading Corporation Limited have been sold in two phases, while some dealers are yet to take 132 bags of DAP in the third phase. 198 bags of DAP and 960 bags of urea have also been sold from Agricultural Materials Company Limited.
However, most farmers have not been able to get even a single bag of fertilizer as the fertilizer supply has not been met as per consumption. Locals complain that even though some have received up to one bag of fertilizer, it is not sufficient in proportion to the planting. Shailesh Kumar Mishra, assistant head of the rural municipality's agriculture branch, said that preparations are underway to bring 184 bags of DAP, 960 bags of urea and 25/25 bags of potash for each dealer from the Agricultural Materials Company Limited in the next phase.
'The chemical fertilizer received is very low as per the requirement,' he said, 'Although there is some concession to the farmers, the fertilizer that is now being received is also not sufficient.'
