Rajasthan govt claims urea surplus, Oppn flags fertiliser shortage

The Congress unit in Rajasthan has alleged that farmers in the state are not getting fertilisers on time, and compounding their problem, the quantity received falls short of their requirement, even as the state government claims there is no shortage of fertilisers for kharif (summer) crops. 

The total urea stock available to Rajasthan so far stands at 1,312,000 metric tonnes (mt), including the Government of India’s initial allocation of 928,000 mt for the Kharif season ( April-August), according to Manju Rajpal, principal secretary ( Agriculture and Horticulture), Government of Rajasthan. Despite global circumstances, the share of allocation made available to the state is approximately 141 per cent.  

She said that against a demand of 380,000 mt of diammonium phosphate (DAP) for the April–August period, 341,000 mt of DAP have been made available so far, including the stock available on April 1.

“Despite disruptions in the supply of imported DAP, the availability of alternative phosphatic fertilisers has been ensured for farmers. So far, 171,000 mt of (NPK) and 376,000 mt of single super phosphate (SSP) have been made available in the state. In total, 788,000 mt of phosphatic fertilisers have been provided to meet farmers’ demand,” she said

She added fertiliser supplies are continuing steadily. The state as of mid-August holds 259,000 mt of urea stocks, 67,000 mt of DAP, 79,000 mt of NPK, and 169,000 mt of SSP. She said the Government of India allocates fertilisers to states on a monthly basis.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said farmers are unable to secure even the essential fertilisers needed to save crops.

“They are forced to stand in queues for hours — often starting at the crack of dawn — struggling to obtain just a few bags of DAP,” he said.

He claimed that what is most surprising is that while official figures claim there are adequate fertiliser stocks, farmers on the ground are left running from pillar to post. This situation prevails across almost the entire state.

Gehlot added the BJP government must realise that merely showing stock figures on paper does not save a farmer’s crop. The government needs to streamline the fertiliser distribution system immediately.