Centre approves 60,000 tonnes of urea for Chhattisgarh amid shortage

The Centre has approved an additional allocation of 60,000 tonnes of urea for Chhattisgarh, providing major relief at a time when the state is facing severe shortage of the fertiliser. 

Of this, 20,000 tonnes will be supplied in the first week of September, 35,000 tonnes in the second week, and the remaining 5,000 tonnes by the end of the month, a government spokesperson said. 

The state government has said it is addressing supply chain issues and promoting alternative fertilisers, due to the shortfall of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea. Recently, Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam and MPs from the state met Union fertilisers minister J P Nadda to inform him of the crisis. 

However, opposition leaders and farmers allege mismanagement and reduced supply quotas. According to farmers, they are facing difficulties in acquiring fertilisers from cooperatives, and are forced to buy them at inflated prices from the black market. 

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the state government was sensitive to every requirement of farmers, and the additional allocation would help safeguard their kharif crops. “Fertiliser supply during the kharif season is being prioritised. So far, 98 per cent of the targeted urea has already reached farmers,” he said, adding that adequate fertiliser will be supplied in line with weather and crop requirements. 

According to officials, fertiliser distribution through cooperative societies and private dealers is being conducted in an organised and timely manner. 

Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed) officials quoting the latest figure said that a total stock of 702,642 metric tonnes of urea has been stored — 391,079 metric tonnes in the cooperative sector and 311,563 metric tonnes in the private sector. Out of this, 638,599 metric tonnes have already been distributed to farmers. This figure is higher than the 617,798 metric tonnes distributed during the same period last year, the officials added. 

For the ongoing kharif season, the Centre has set a target of 1.4 million tonnes of chemical fertilisers for Chhattisgarh. According to latest figures, 1.3 million tonnes of chemical fertilisers have already been distributed to farmers in the state.