Urea scarcity triggers concerns among tea growers in South

A scarcity of granular urea in South India has induced issues amongst the tea growers, who concern the beverage’s output could be impacted, if the shortage persists in the year forward. Also, a sharp boost in rates of muriate of potash (MoP) has additional to their concerns.

Though initiatives are currently being manufactured to motivate the use of nano urea, growers mentioned the efficacy of the nutrient is but to be fully established in the situation of tea. “There’s some shortage on the availability of urea and it is a worry. If the shortage proceeds in the weeks ahead it will impact the tea crop,” an field supply said. Urea is applied in several rounds in tea gardens and growers are established to take up the software of the nutrient from March onwards relying on the pre-monsoon showers.

Kerala Agriculture Office officials taken care of that the State has supplied essential portions of urea, MoP, DAP and sophisticated fertilisers. Having said that, Y.C.Stephen, Condition president of the Compact Tea Growers Association, Kattappana, countered the promises of the Point out governing administration officials, saying tiny tea growers are dealing with acute lack of fertilisers such as urea and potash.

Unaffordable

Out of the 20,000 modest time growers in Idukki, Stephen mentioned only much less than a single for each cent been given the required quantities of fertilisers by the commencing of 2022. Apart from the urea shortage, growing costs of MoP is also hitting smaller and medium growers tricky, he said. MoP selling prices have nearly doubled to ₹34,000 a tonne.

A senior official in a top tea manufacturing corporation in Kerala stated the scarcity of urea and doubling of MoP prices will make manure application unaffordable, which will, in switch, have an impact on production likely ahead. Nano urea has only been advised by experts only for foliar software as of now and not for soil application. So, nano urea for the time getting are not able to swap urea, the formal explained.

IFFCO sources mentioned the nano urea is a substitute for the typical urea software. Therefore, where ever urea can substitute nano urea, whilst the replacement percentage will range as it relies upon on unique soil and crop elements, they said.

“Tea is a lengthy-length plantation crop and regular urea is utilized 4-5 occasions (Basal/Drenching/Foliar) at various pruning stages and unpruned phases. Based on farmer discipline/ growers’ practical experience 25-50 for every cent substitute of regular urea with nano urea is achievable. Tea estates at their degree have also done encouraging trials and also ordered nano urea. Long expression scientific trials with UPASI & TRA Tocklai, Guwahati are in procedure for gaining growers self confidence,” IFFCO sources mentioned.

Not an different

N Lakshmanan, a senior planter from Coonoor, claimed nano urea is not a comprehensive alternate for granular urea as considerably as perennial crops this kind of as tea are worried. “Granular urea is a have to for sure root action in tea. Theanine is a compound that is responsible for catechins in tea, which offers the flavonids in tea, is manufactured in the root zone. If Theanine is not produced in the root zone, the flavonid catechin will begin dwindling.

Catechin is a person of the most sought soon after elements for the wellness marketplace. By spraying nano urea, will a reverse engineering can take put, say from the foliar zone will the nano urea trickle to the root zone to develop this compound. This has to be researched. Until and right up until a in-depth extended-phrase review is finished, we can not afford to pay for to absolutely ignore granular urea,” Lakshmanan explained.

In the Nilgiris, the allocation of urea been lessened by all around 20 for every cent this calendar year with a view to exchange it with organic and natural and organic manures for producing the Nilgiris district an organic district, claimed H N Sivan, member of the Nilgiris District Integrated Little Tea Farmers Committee. Total consumption of urea in Nilgiris is about 1,400 tonnes for each year. The scarcity of urea is not likely to have any impact on the output as modest farmers utilize it in very significantly less quantity, he reported. In addition, urea is getting changed with natural manure, Sivan extra.

Published on


February 18, 2022