Representative image | Photo: Mathrubhumi
Alathur: The price of a sack of Factamfos (20-20-0-13) was hiked by Rs 500 within 10 months. The current price is Rs 1,490. It is hinted that the price will shoot up again by the time of the next sowing season. The price for Ammonium Sulphate also went up by Rs 75. Now, the price of a sack is Rs 1,100.
The price was Rs 990 in May 2021. Although the price was suddenly hiked to Rs 1,350 in June, it was lowered back to Rs 1,125 when the distributors failed to take the stock. It was raised again in August to Rs 1,325. At the start of the year, the price was Rs 1,390 and it went up to Rs 1,490 this month.
This has come as a fatal blow on farmers who are already struggling under various issues like climate change, lack of labourers and hike in prices of fertilisers and insecticides. This price hike is going to reflect badly on farmers who use the mixed fertilizer Factomfos.
Factamfos is made of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur. Fertilisers And Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) officials said that the increase in the price of these elements led to the price hike.
The distributors opine that though the fertilisers of IFFCO and other companies are available, farmers prefer and trust Factamfos. During the second round of fertilisation, urea is added along with Factamfos. Urea is replaced by potash in the third round of fertilisation. The farmers growing vegetables, sugarcane and legumes are the ones in need of Factamfos now.