Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 24 : In view of the potential shortage of solid Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser during the current Kharif season, the Chhattisgarh government has made timely arrangements for alternative fertilisers. Among them, liquid Nano DAP has emerged as an effective and promising substitute. Its use is resulting in direct savings of around Rs 75 per acre for paddy farmers, the Chief Minister's office said in a press release.
As per the directives of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, IFFCO has facilitated the storage of over 3.05 lakh bottles of Nano DAP across the state. Of these, 82,470 bottles are stocked at double-lock centres, 1,41,389 bottles at Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), and around 48,000 bottles with private retailers. IFFCO still holds an additional stock of over 33,000 bottles. Each half-litre bottle of Nano DAP is available to farmers at a subsidised price of Rs 600 through cooperative societies.
According to agricultural experts, for one acre of paddy cultivation, instead of 50 kg of solid DAP, farmers can now use 25 kg of solid DAP along with a half-litre bottle of liquid Nano DAP. A 50-kg bag of solid DAP is priced at Rs 1,350, whereas the combination of Nano DAP and reduced solid DAP offers similar nutrition at a cost-saving of Rs 75 per acre.
To promote the use of Nano DAP, farmers have been sensitised and trained in its application methods through extensive awareness drives. The state government proactively launched a campaign to educate farmers about Nano DAP well in time, foreseeing the shortfall in solid DAP supply. The agriculture department's field teams, Krishi Vigyan Kendra scientists, and progressive farmers worked together to demonstrate the combined use of Nano DAP with conventional fertilisers directly in fields.
Awareness activities, including live demonstrations, were conducted across villages through agriculture chaupals and the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. Informative materials such as pamphlets, banners, and posters on Nano DAP were prominently displayed at cooperative societies.
Field officers from the agriculture department continue to visit farms and guide farmers on the use and benefits of Nano DAP. As a result, farmers are now confidently adopting Nano DAP in their paddy cultivation practices across the state.