The state-run Soil Resources Development Institute has found some 40 per cent of both locally produced and imported fertilisers adulterated.
Laboratory tests by SRDI also found that the adulteration levels in fertilisers, including urea, DAP, SSP, SOP and boron, increased compared with the levels last year.
SRDI officials on Tuesday submitted the findings to the agriculture ministry. The report on ‘standards of fertilisers-2013’ said that 40 per cent of 5,190 samples, sent by different agencies from across the country, were found adulterated.
Soil and agriculture experts said use of adulterated fertilisers with high levels of ‘heavy metals’ like cadmium, mercury, chromium and lead, was harmful for environment and crops produced by using such fertilisers were hazardous for human health.
Agriculture officials and fertiliser dealers said organised gangs, including manufacturers, dishonest importers and dealers, were involved in adulterating fertilisers. Besides, some dealers mix substandard fertilisers with quality products and supply it to the market for higher profits. SSP topped the list of adulterated fertilisers (93 per cent) followed by mixed fertilisers (77 per cent), the test found. The report said that most of the adulterated fertilisers were produced in Bangladesh.
‘I do not know whether substandard DAP, TSP and other fertilisers are imported from China, Australia, Tunisia and Morocco or whether they are adulterated,’ Kamrul Ashraf Khan, president of Bangladesh Fertiliser Association, told New Age.
According to the report, adulteration of urea increased from two per cent in 2010-11 to three per cent in 2011-12 while DAP from 21 per cent to 22 per cent, SSP from 67 per cent to 93 per cent and SOP from 30 per cent to 59 per cent during the same period.
However, adulteration of MOP decreased to 7 per cent in 2011-12 from 11 per cent in 2010-11 while zinc sulphate decreased to 76 per cent from 80 per cent, mixed fertiliser to 77 per cent from 80 per cent and magnesium suphate to three per cent from 15 per cent.
Adulteration of TSP remained at the same level of 25 per cent, it said.
According to statistics available at the agriculture ministry, the domestic demand for urea is 24.5 lakh tonnes for the 2013-14 financial year and the government has set a target to produce about 7.5 lakh tonnes. About 17 lakh tonnes of urea would have to be import to meet the demand in the current year, they said.
The domestic demand for DAP is about 6.5 lakh tonnes, MOP 8 lakh tonnes and TSP 6.75 lakh tonnes, the ministry officials said. Almost all non-urea fertilisers are imported for domestic consumption.
SRDI chief scientific officer Nazmul Hasan told New Age that the SRDI did not collect samples of fertilisers but examined the suspected samples sent by various agencies and departments.
Of the samples, some 40 per cent of fertilisers were detected to have been adulterated – many of them mixed with ‘heavy metals’ or elements more than the allowable limits, he said.
The report said that the samples were sent by different organizations, including the department of
agriculture extension, district/upazila administrations, police department, customs authorities, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council, local fertiliser manufacturers and importers.
Experts and farmers expressed concern over reports that adulterated fertilisers were being supplied to the market. They said excessive use of adulterated fertilisers would reduce both fertility of soil and productivity of crops.
Harun-ur Rashid, general secretary of Bangladesh Jute Growers’ Samity, told New Age that most of the farmers in the country were illiterate and they bought fertilisers from retail markets. They often found fertilisers not working well, he said.
He said that the authorities concerned should continue mobile court operation to stop sale of adulterated fertilisers on the market.
Bangladesh Krishak Samity general secretary Sajjad Zahir Chandan told New Age that farmers in the northern and southern regions were already experiencing decline in crop production and soil fertility due to excessive use of adulterated fertilisers.
He alleged that most of the adulterated fertilisers were smuggled to the country from India and imported from China.
Principal scientific officer (soil) at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council M Baktear Hossain told New Age that the department of agriculture extension was monitoring the situation at upazila to check adulteration of fertilisers.
-With New Age input
