Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar yesterday formally inaugurated the unit at a cost of Rs 1.75 crore spread over about 2.5 hectares of land. He said it would help in the state government's drive of ensuring a clean environment.
Speaking on the occasion Mr Sarkar targeted the Centre and alleged that though it had given emphasis on agriculture in the current five year plan, land reform and other issues related to the interest of the farming community had not been resolved because more than 75 per cent of Indian farmers did not have their own land.
''The National Development Council has stressed on corporatization of agriculture but we strongly oppose the move because it will destroy the very objective of allotting good amount of fund for agriculture during this plan period,'' Mr Sarkar underlined.
He pointed out that Tripura had been using only 41-42 kg fertilizer per hectare while it is 78 kg per hectare at the national level.
Mr Sarkar maintained that farmers of the state had been facing acute crisis of fertilizers almost every year as a large amount was being illegally exported to the neighboring country.
This illegal business was going on through almost all the borders of the state though barbed fencing has been erected on the international boundaries, he said.
