Guwahati: There is a nearly shortage of supply of 20 thousand metric tons (MT) of potash in the northeastern region yearly which is used mainly as an agriculture fertilizer.

Speaking to Business North East Deputy Regional Manager Ramautar Yadav of Indian Potash Limited said that the total demand for potash in the region is 85,000 metric tons. But, the supply of potash is comparatively less, in the range of 65000 metric tonnes.

In 2022, till now the supply is only 33000 Metric Tonnes, Yadav added.

Yadav informed BNE that there is no manufacturing unit for potash in India. It is imported from Israel, Jordan, Belarus, etc. In fact, nearly the total demand for potash is imported from other countries. As a result, the price of potash is very high. A standard bag of potash is 50 kilograms, which cost as high as Rs. 1700 per bag.

For cultivation, 15 kilograms of potash is required to apply on a land of one acre.

High prices discouraged farmers from buying potash, which hampers cultivation. To cover such challenges, new varieties of potash are created, like potash made of molasses.

But its K2O percentage is lower compared to the potash used until now.

The main advantage of potash is that it has no harmful effect on the soil. It increases production.

With the increased use of potash, India became self-reliant in rice and wheat production.

According to Yadav, the northeastern region will become self-reliant with the increased use of potash as a fertiliser.

The Indian Potash Limited is an all-India organization that started in 1955. It was incorporated under Indian Companies Act with the objective of promoting the balanced use of Potash. Indian Potash Limited has stood the test of time in spite of the deregulation of phosphoric and potash fertilisers in 1992. The Guwahati office was started in 1985.

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