Kotabaru farmers in trouble getting subsidized fertilizers

Kotabaru, South Kalimantan 17/3 (AntaranewsKalsel) - Some farmers in the district of Kotabaru have trouble getting low price fertilizer in recent weeks.

A trader of agriculture materials in South Kelumpang, Kotabaru, Abah Pendi on Friday said TSP or SP36 type fertilizer is not available. "We only have urea, while others are not yet available," he said.

A farmer, Ummi Bisri, admitted that she had wanted to fertilize plants for over a month with SP36, but until now the fertilizer empty.

The same thing happened to Sumiatin. "Our plants only fertilized with urea, whereas black fertilizer (SP36/TSP) scheduled. Better if we fertilized with what available," she said.

Head of Food Crops Department of Horticulture Food Crops and Livestock Agency H Gunawan explained the empty of fertilizer at the stores does not mean fertilizer is rare.

"To get subsidized fertilizer farmers must proposed a Definitive Plan of Group Need (RDKK)," he said.

Earlier, Sholeh, a farmer, claiming to seek subsidized fertilizer, however, some merchants offered non subsidized fertilizer which is much more expensive.

The difficulty of obtaining subsidized fertilizer is not only experienced by paddy farmers, but also fishpond farmers in Kotabaru.