Khulna, Sept 6 (UNB) – Some 40,000 metric tonnes of three types of fertiliser kept under the open sky here covered with merely tarpaulin for a year for lack of storage space have got damaged, sources at the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) said.

The fertilisers were damaged during rain and when some of the areas got flooded.

The BADC sources also said three types of fertilisers – Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), Murate of Potash (MOP) and Dye Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) -- were imported from Morocco, Canada and Saudi Arabia during the 2018-19 fiscal year. Usually, contractors supervise the process until it enters the BADC warehouse.

Visiting the spot, the UNB correspondent found that the fertilisers were kept under the open sky at Roosevelt Jetty on the bank of the Bhairab River, in front of Khulna Wasa building, by along main road of Fulbari gate, inside Ajax Jute Mills and Shiromoni areas.

The fertilisers were kept on sand accumulator and these were damaged following water accumulation in some parts during the last monsoon.

According to the sources, the matter was raised at a BADC meeting on July 27 when the corporation informed that the contractors normally preserve fertilisers before shipping those to warehouses.

Proshanto Kumar Saha, Joint Director (Fertiliser) of BADC Khulna, said the fertilisers were imported during June-July in 2018. “More will be imported in the coming days. The capacity of the warehouse is 13,000 MT. So, there’s no extra space to keep the fertilisers. Besides, warehouses on rent aren’t available,” he said.

“Non-urea fertiliser remains in good condition if it’s kept under tarpaulin in airtight condition. Sand was given below. However, there would be problem if too much water is deposited there,” he added.

Quamrul Ashraf Khan, the owner of contractor firm Poton Traders Limited, said: “The amount of fertiliser being imported is greater than the capacity of the warehouse.”

Pankaj Kanti Majumder, Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension, said a huge quantity of fertiliser is needed in Khulna region.

“The imported fertilisers are kept covered in the open for lack of enough space in the warehouses in Khulna,” he pointed out. “The fertilisers may be damaged if kept under the sky. Those can remain in good shape if those are preserved in an airtight space.”