As demand for fertilisers runs high, long queues and frayed nerves across states

Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, farmers allege that delays and black marketing are worsening the crisis, although the state government maintains there’s no shortage. Videos on social media show long queues at cooperative centres.

“At some places, the rush is so heavy that tokens are being distributed,” said Atitanand Tripathi, pradhan of Ghanshyampur village, adding that demand is several times higher than supply. “With the kharif season underway, farmers are running from shop to shop in search of fertilisers essential for sowing their crops. The uncertainty over timely availability has left farmers deeply worried about their harvest.”

Ayodhya Yadav, pradhan of Harkhupur village, alleged “influential people” are managing fertilisers easily. “But the shortage has left small and marginal farmers particularly vulnerable at a time when they urgently need fertilisers to prepare their fields for the kharif season.”

In a post on X, Uttar Pradesh’s Leader of Opposition, Akhilesh Yadav, accused the ruling BJP government of “failing farmers”.

He posted a 31-second video clip of baton-wielding police personnel “lathi-charging” some people. The caption said, “It is said… such a BJP-ruled ‘kalyug’ would come… farmers would face batons… fertiliser crisis would worsen.”

However, the Yogi government has reiterated that stocks are adequate. According to Agriculture Department data, 36.76 lakh MT of fertiliser had been sold by August 18 last year, while this year sales reached 42.64 lakh MT. So far, 31.62 lakh MT of urea, 5.38 lakh MT of DAP, 2.39 lakh MT of NPK, 0.46 lakh MT of MOP, and 2.79 lakh MT of SSP have been distributed — higher than last year.

Responding to Akhilesh’s allegations, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said Yadav “had no moral authority” to speak on farmers’ issues.

“Action has been intensified against irregularities in fertiliser distribution,” a government press release said. “So far, licences of 1,196 retailers have been cancelled, notices served to 132 wholesalers, 13 suspended and 4 licenses revoked. FIRs have been lodged against 93 persons, while district agriculture officers of Sitapur, Balrampur and Shravasti have been suspended for lapses,” he said.

Madhya Pradesh

In Madhya Pradesh, urea shortage in districts such as Vidisha, Guna, Ashoknagar, Raisen, Harda, Hoshangabad, and Betul has led to protests. Scores of enraged farmers held road blockades at Sheopur and Chhindwara, and protests were also reported in Bhopal, Tikamgarh, and Sagar.

Farm leaders blamed the situation on black marketing and inflated prices.

“Black marketing is a big issue because of which there’s a shortage. The government is saying that there’s adequate fertiliser supply. Why are farmers not getting it? It’s being sold at a higher rate to the farmer, and the local dealers are getting the supply and making a profit,” Rahul Dhoot, a senior leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, told The Indian Express.

Officials maintain there is no shortage. According to MP State Cooperative Marketing Federation’s B S Bhedkar, over 3.5 lakh MT of fertiliser had been allocated for August. “If there are additional demands, then they will be fulfilled,” Khedkar told The Indian Express.

On Wednesday, the Opposition Congress protested against fertiliser shortage in Chhindwara. When he found that the district collector was not available to listen to the party, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar tied the list of Congress demands to a stray dog as a symbolic act of protest.

Andhra Pradesh

Districts in Andhra Pradesh are also seeing a shortage of urea in the kharif season, with the Telugu Desam Party’s Parliamentary Party leader and Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu saying the state was nearly 80,000 metric tonnes short. In June, the Centre had allocated 1.3 lakh MT of urea to the state, but only 50,000 MT has reached, leaving a steep gap, the MP said.

With over 1.10 lakh hectares of paddy, along with groundnut, cotton, and maize across more than 7 lakh hectares, currently under cultivation, the state fears that the problem would likely worsen.

At a meeting with Union Health, Fertilisers and Chemicals Minister J P Nadda earlier this week, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh Naidu said that a good monsoon this year has caused the state’s reservoirs and groundwater levels to improve, leading to more acreage under cultivation this season. He also sought the immediate allocation of the required supply of urea. Nadda assured that 29,000 MT of urea would be sent to the state by August 21.

Officials said the shortage is acute in Chittoor, Tirupati, Kurnool, Srikakulam, Nellore, Guntur, Palnadu, and Anantapur. Farmers are queuing up outside Rythu Seva Kendras, where limits of 2-10 bags per person have been imposed.

In neighbouring Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) tied the urea shortage to vice-presidential elections. BRS working president KT Rama Rao said Wednesday that the state needs two lakh metric tonnes of urea, and announced that his party would support the VP candidate who can provide the urea to Telangana farmers, regardless of their political affiliation.

He also took a swipe at the ruling Revanth Reddy government. “Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited Delhi 51 times but could not bring even 51 bags of urea to the state,” he said.

Haryana

Unlike other states where sowing is already underway, Haryana doesn’t immediately need urea. However, with the sowing season for mustard and potatoes looming, farmers are a worried lot.

“Farmers want to purchase it in advance for the sowing that begins in September,” Dayanand Poonia, Bhiwani district vice-president of the All India Kisan Sabha, said. “Since they’ve faced fertiliser shortages over the past few years, they don’t want to take any chances and prefer to stock up early. But DAP is simply not available at cooperative societies or private dealers.”

The situation is similar in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, and parts of Kaithal, where DAP is now retailing at Rs 1,650 for a 50 kg bag — “well above the subsidised rate of Rs 1,350”, Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Bains said. Meanwhile, a 45 kg bag of urea is reportedly being sold for Rs 350, instead of the earlier Rs 268.

Here, too, the Haryana government maintains that “there’s no shortage”.

“Supply is being managed according to demand,” Haryana’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh said.

According to officials, there are two reasons for the current panic in the state. “First is the early arrival of monsoon rains, prompting the advance sowing of paddy. Second is the state government’s announcement that fertiliser distribution would soon be restricted to farmers registered on the ‘Meri Fasal-Mera Byora’ portal, which tracks crops sown on their land,” one official said.

With the state witnessing long queues and protests in July amid the growing crisis, police had been deployed to keep the peace.

“If, according to the government, there is more than enough stock of DAP fertiliser, then why are farmers not receiving it on time and in sufficient quantities? Why are they forced to stand in long queues at distribution centres, often returning empty-handed? This situation clearly indicates either serious flaws in the distribution system or that ground-level figures on availability don’t match the reality,” Congress MP Kumari Selja said.