Shortage of subsidised urea fertiliser has severely hit farmers across Odisha, with reports of scarcity pouring in from several districts.
The crisis has adversely affected cultivation during the peak Kharif season, forcing farmers to stage protests and gherao offices of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) and Large Area Multipurpose Societies (LAMPS).
Distribution of fertilisers in the state is handled by Odisha State Cooperative Marketing Federation (MARKFED), PACS, LAMPS and private dealers. But stocks are either unavailable or diverted into black marketing channels, farmers alleged.
Padma Charan Bhoi, a 45-year-old farmer from Sailo Govindpur in Cuttack district, said: “During the rainy season, urea is crucial. The crops are in boot leaf to flowering stage, and this is the right time to apply urea. If we miss this window, the yield will be lost. I have waited for a week, but there is no stock.” He claimed urea was being sold in the black market at ₹400 per 45kg bag, against ₹300 earlier.
The official government price for a 45kg bag is ₹266.50. Yet in tribal-dominated districts, unscrupulous dealers are charging as much as ₹600 to ₹700 per bag.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das accused the “double-engine government” of betraying farmers. “Urea is being sold at inflated prices. If the state fails to stop black marketing, we will intensify our protests,” he warned. Das also recalled that the Talcher fertiliser plant, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in 2017, has not become operational even after seven years.
The Nava Nirman Krushak Sangathan, a farmers’ organisation, echoed similar concerns. Convenor Akshya Kumar said, “Black marketing is rampant. On Monday, farmers held rallies in Malkangiri. Agriculture is paralysed due to short supply. By making farmers dependent on fertilisers and then failing to deliver, the government is driving them to ruin.”
Deputy chief minister and agriculture minister K.V. Singh Deo admitted there was pressure on supply but said steps were being taken to streamline distribution and curb hoarding. He warned of stern action if black marketing was detected. At the same time, he urged farmers to reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers. “Excessive use harms the soil. If farmers adopt organic farming, they will earn more, with prospects for export,” Singh Deo said.
Odisha requires about 4 lakh metric tonnes of urea for the Kharif season alone. With crop coverage spread across 5.85 million hectares under an ambitious plan, the fertiliser demand is substantial. Any disruption, officials admit, directly impacts productivity and farmers’ livelihoods.
Protests continue across the state, as farmers demand timely availability of fertiliser at subsidised rates. With the sowing season at a critical stage, many warn that unless supply is restored immediately, Odisha’s Kharif harvest will suffer.