Some people are trying to get the fund (for fertiliser subsidy) released quickly, the finance minister said, adding, "We have to check first whether the farmers are getting the benefits of fertiliser subsidy."

The finance minister made the comment to the reporters a day after Agriculture Minister MK Anwar expressed surprise at the finance ministry's questioning about the genuineness of the outstanding subsidy bills.

Asked for comments on the situation, the agriculture minister, however, declined to say anything to the newsmen yesterday.

Earlier on Sunday, MK Anwar expressed his utter surprise in raising question over the genuineness of subsidy bills, pointing out that the committee that gave clearance to Tk 60 crore subsidy bills against imported fertiliser sold in the last fiscal year had representation of the finance ministry.

Both the agriculture ministry and strike enforcer Bangladesh Fertiliser Association (BFA) remained in dark as the finance ministry so far officially informed them about no objections regarding the long overdue subsidy bills.

As 3,000 fertiliser dealers across the country are running the risk of fast depleting stocks due to supply stoppage by BFA since December 19, an inter-ministerial meeting scheduled for tomorrow will try to resolve the deadlock, sources hinted.

Meanwhile, a meeting at agriculture ministry held to bring under 25 percent subsidy provision two lakh tonnes of recently imported (in October-November) non-urea chemical fertiliser -- triple super phosphate (TSP), murate of potash (MoP) and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) ended inconclusively.

It seems that things would not improve until a solution comes from the finance ministry, BFA Chairman Kofiluddin Ahmed said yesterday.

The current strike is in force at a time when the farmers apply 80 percent of their yearly fertiliser requirement to their boro, potato and other winter crops.

As the government introduced a 25 percent subsidy on imported fertilisers including TSP, MoP and DAP in the last fiscal year, importers started selling their imported stock at a 25 percent rebate with refund guarantee from the government.

The importers received Tk 171 crore of the allocated Tk 271 crore rebate. The rest has remained unpaid since last June.

As stocks of some 3,000 dealers across the country are depleting fast due to serious demand in this boro season, it is feared that supply-stoppage for a few more days will cause a serious shortage of fertiliser, leading to the farmers' losses in yields.

Market sources said due to non-realisation of the subsidies, importers may stockpile nearly four lakh tonne of imported TSP, MoP and DAP in the warehouses and start selling those without giving the 25 percent rebate.

Twenty five percent rise in fertiliser prices means that the farmers would have to pay Tk 850 for a 50-kg bag of MoP instead of Tk 595 that they pay now, for DAP Tk 1250 instead of Tk 841 and for TSP Tk 940 instead of Tk 700.

OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT ADDS FROM CHITTAGONG:
Around two lakh tonne of imported fertilisers, some 25 percent of the country's total requirement during this peak season, have been lying at some forty godwons of Majhirghat in the port city for one week as the importers and dealers stopped delivery demanding payment of Tk 97 crore as subsidy.

Non-delivery of the fertilisers including TSP, MoP and DAP, which are carried to different areas of the country, already triggered the price hike of fertilisers in the wholesale market.