He was countering Karnataka BJP president B S Yediyurappa's charge, made on Monday, that the State Government was neglecting the interests of farmers by not taking measures to meet their fertiliser requirements.

Defending the shortfall in the State's requirement of the fertiliser, Muriate of Phosphate (MoP) -- for this kharif season -- he said the country's entire requirement was being met through imports which have always been the responsibility of the Union Government.

Gowda told media persons here, that it was for the first time that the country was witnessing this unprecedented shortfall of over 50 per cent in the supply of MoP, which is not indigenously produced. Ofa total requirement of 21,40,000 metric tonnes (mt) of MoP, only 10,00,000 mt had been supplied throughout the country this year.

With the prime minister having retained charge of the Agriculture portfolio for himself, and Som Pal being only a Minister of State, this amounts to a ``sheer neglect of the agriculture sector in the country'' by the BJP government, he added.

In all the years since farmers started using fertilisers, the Central government had taken care of the fertiliser needs of the entire country. India Potash Limited, a wholly-owned Government of India undertaking was vested with powers to authorise imports in this regard.

However, this year the Centre had not imported the required quantity of potash and because of the ``BJP government's stupidity the whole country has to face this shortage now,'' he added.

Gowda himself had written both to Som Pal and Union Fertiliser Minister S S Barnala, in June this year, urging them to take measures to meet the State's need. Moreover, as far back asMarch, during the zonal meeting of agriculture ministers, Karnataka had indicated its requirement for the season. However, the response from both ministers had not been positive.

Subsequently Chief Minister J H Patel too had written to both Union ministers, with little success. Last month, both Gowda and Patel had also tried to meet them, but they were busy tackling the political problems in their respective states.

``We have made all-out efforts to make available the required quantity of MoP in the State. But it is the responsibility of the Government of India to meet it,'' he added.