Fertiliser godown crisis acute in Barisal region

Inadequate fertiliser storage facilities in Barisal region is hampering smooth supply of urea to the boro paddy growers at peak season.
Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) sources said BADC has three buffer godowns for fertilisers and seeds in Barisal each with a capacity of storing 2,000 to 3,000 metric tons.
Out of the three one is being used by BADC itself for stocking 2,000mts non-urea fertilisers. Of the other two one with 2,000mts seed storage capacity has been leased to a private firm while the third one with 3,000mts storage capacity leased to BCIC.
Harunur Rashid, joint director of BCIC Barisal office said Barisal district alone needed 4,000-6,000mts non-urea and 25,500 to 26,500mts urea fertiliser in the peak of the season.
At present more than 7,250mts urea fertilisers have been stored in the godown leased to BCIC and about 850mts stored at the courtyard under the open sky.
On other hand, at least 7 cargos are unloading more than 4,000mts of urea, sources said.
BADC authorities said they leased the seed godown to a private firm for storing construction materials in 1996 and the contract was renewed in 2002 as seeds storage was not required.
However, the contract with the firm expired on June 2008 and BADC issued notices to vacate and hand over the godown last year.
The managing director of the private firm said they received injunction and status quo order from the High Court against the BADC order as they refused to renew the lease contract.