Meherpur Faces Acute DAP and TSP Shortage

Disrupting seasonal soil preparation and crop nutrient cycles, an acute supply deficit of phosphatic inputs has hit Meherpur, impacting both ripening Aman paddy fields and newly planted early winter vegetables across western Bangladesh.

According to agricultural monitoring sources on Friday, demand for Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) has surged drastically due to concurrent planting schedules. However, insufficient inventory allocations across local retail networks have left farming communities struggling to acquire essential inputs, forcing growers to wait in distribution queues only to receive partial allocations.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) data indicates that 26,930 hectares of land are currently dedicated to Aman paddy alongside 4,647 hectares reserved for winter vegetables. Agronomic standards dictate the application of 13 kilograms of DAP or TSP per bigha for Aman fields and 30 kilograms per bigha for intensive vegetable plots. Consequently, the minimum baseline requirement stands at approximately 2,615 metric tons for Aman crops and 1,041 metric tons for winter produce—totaling 3,656 metric tons. Concurrently, regional cultivation of banana, onion, cotton, and black gram requires additional fertilizer volumes. Against this aggregated demand, September's combined DAP and TSP allocation reached only 2,197 metric tons, generating an immediate regional deficit.

Detailing operational hurdles, Zahirul Islam, an 8-bigha grower from Nischintapur village cultivating Aman, banana, bitter gourd, onion, cauliflower, and cucumber, reported that prolonged queuing yielded only 50 kilograms of TSP in early September, forcing him to ration application between onion and gourd crops. He noted that cultivating 8 bighas with 50 kilograms of fertilizer is technically unsustainable, requiring him to purchase supplementary stock at inflated prices. Similarly, Jamirul Islam of Kulbaria village, farming 4 bighas of cauliflower and 1 bigha of chili, reported failing to secure required input volumes.

Kutubpur Union fertilizer dealer Abdul Awal confirmed that allocations remain well below verified local demand, with incoming consignments exhausting within 15 days due to simultaneous crop cycles. Dealership records confirm that while stocks of Urea, Muriate of Potash (MOP), and Sulphate remain stable, phosphatic compounds face heightened scarcity.

DAE records show cumulative regional deliveries of 3,589 metric tons of DAP and TSP from July through September. District agricultural officials stated that supply chain monitoring is active to balance field logistics, while field agents advise farmers on precision application and balanced nutrient deployment to safeguard harvest yields amid current supply constraints. //DBTech/DHEP/SME/MSI//