Odisha fertiliser crisis: Naveen Patnaik warns of supply gaps, farmer woes

Naveen Patnaik has written to Union Minister JP Nadda warning of urea shortages in Odisha, citing black marketing, inflated prices and farmer protests during the kharif season

Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik has urged the Union government to ensure immediate supply of urea to the state, citing a growing scarcity that has triggered farmer protests at the start of the kharif season.

 

In a letter to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers J P Nadda (dated August 29), as shared by PTI, Patnaik said farmers across Odisha, particularly in tribal districts, are facing acute shortages of urea. He alleged that black marketing, adulteration and diversion of fertilisers have worsened the crisis, forcing cultivators to take to the streets.

 

 

Short supply, inflated rates hurting farmers

The state government has claimed the availability of 794,000 tonnes of urea. However, in Ganjam district, official data shows only nine metric tonnes of fertiliser have reached this year, compared with 27 metric tonnes last year.

 

Patnaik alleged that farmers are struggling to purchase urea at official rates because it is being sold illegally at inflated prices. He accused MARKFED, the designated distribution agency, of supplying subsidised fertilisers to private traders instead of directly to farmers.

 

In the Bhanjanagar sub-division of Ganjam, farmers said urea was either unavailable or being sold at inflated rates, Odisha TV reported. At cooperative centres, inadequate supplies led to clashes between cultivators and staff, prompting police intervention. Farmers alleged they were compelled to buy fertiliser at ₹700-800 per bag, far above the government-fixed rate of ₹270.

 

Fears of impact on crop output and livelihoods

Patnaik warned that if the crisis continues, agricultural operations could be disrupted, lowering output and affecting the livelihoods of over 70 per cent of Odisha’s population, who are dependent on farming. 

 

“Agriculture is the mainstay of Odisha’s economy which provides livelihood to more than 70 per cent of its population... Fertiliser being a major input to agriculture production, its smooth supply is very crucial for crop growth during kharif. The farmers of Odisha are now facing a major problem in obtaining urea during this ongoing kharif season,” he wrote.

 

Demand for crackdown on black marketing

Patnaik called for an immediate crackdown on black marketing and sought punishment for dealers and officials involved in irregular fertiliser distribution through cooperative societies. He urged the Centre to intervene urgently “in the larger interest of the farming community” to ensure adequate supply of urea during the current season.

 

Talcher fertiliser plant delays add to concerns

Patnaik also criticised delays in the Talcher fertiliser plant, which was expected to become operational within 36 months of its foundation in 2018.

 

“Seven years later, it still remains non-operational,” he wrote, highlighting the need for a local production facility to ease supply pressures.