UP farmers could see hopes of good paddy crop dashed due to urea shortage

Increase in area under this season due to healthy rains and smuggling of fertlisers to Nepal said to be key reasons for crisis

Farmers in Uttar Pradesh, who were expecting a good rice crop this season on the back of above-average rain this monsoon, have been hit by a fertiliser crisis caused by a shortage of urea.

The increase in the paddy crop area this season and smuggling of fertlisers to Nepal are said to be the main reasons behind this crisis. In most of the UP districts, long queues of farmers can be seen outside state-run sales centres, waiting for their turn to get their supply of urea. In the open market, the fertiliser is available at extremely high rates.

According to officials, the