Urea consumption has surged across India in recent years, with Telangana alone accounting for a 21 percent increase during the 2024–25 Rabi (Yasangi) season, and a 12.4 percent rise in the current Kharif season compared to last year.
Published Aug 07, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 07, 2025 | 8:00 AM
R Ashoka claimed that the Centre had ensured “timely and ample fertiliser supply” to the state.
Synopsis: The continued shortage of urea in the midst of the ongoing Kharif season has left the ruling Congress in Karnataka facing the wrath of farmers, amid accusations from the BJP of a deliberate ‘scam’ in which the fertiliser is being wilfully diverted to Kerala. Amid the row, the state and central governments have each placed the responsibility for the shortage at the other’s door.
Karnataka is among several states currently grappling with an acute shortage of fertiliser, severely disrupting cultivation schedules during the ongoing Kharif (monsoon) cropping season.
The shortage of urea in particular – a fertiliser used to replenish nitrogen in the soil – has hit farmers across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as well, due to a combination of factors including supply chain disruptions, rising demand, and setbacks in production.
The crisis has led to long queues, frayed tempers, and allegations of black marketing.
Karnataka farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar, speaking to South First, criticised the Congress government for failing to meet its responsibility to supply seeds and fertilisers to farmers, even as the Union and state governments continue to blame each other.
“This is not good for the government. How will it help the farmer if both keep targeting each other? We produce food to the people of the country, but if they don’t provide us with proper fertilisers and seeds, how can we do this work? What should farmers do in this case?” he questioned, adding that farmers are not interested in politics.
President of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj, told South First that with farmers in the Cauvery–Kabini belt beginning intensive cultivation, demand for fertiliser has sharply increased. However, he alleged that while officials have opened distribution centres and stockyards, they are not being transparent about actual availability.
“They are not displaying the availability of stocks at the distribution centres. They are creating an artificial scarcity for farmers. They are using fake Aadhars, fake voter IDs, and by getting fake thumb impressions, they are illegally selling these fertiliser bags in other states,” he said.
He added that the level of corruption is so high that even flying squads are ineffective.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka has accused the ruling Congress of mishandling fertiliser distribution and engaging in “appeasement politics”.
Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, claimed that the Centre had ensured “timely and ample fertiliser supply” to the state and the crisis was entirely the doing of the Congress government.
“The Modi government has ensured timely and ample fertiliser supply to Karnataka. The shortage is man-made, a direct fallout of Congress’ corruption and subservience to the Gandhi family,” he wrote in a post on X.
His remarks came after reports that illegal transport of urea to Kerala from Karnataka was intercepted at border checkposts.
“The shocking seizure of urea being smuggled from Karnataka to Kerala is not just illegal, it is a direct betrayal of Karnataka’s farmers. Despite the Centre supplying more than enough fertiliser, our farmers face shortages. Now we know why. The Congress government is diverting urea to Kerala, not for any public good, but to impress Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi,” he claimed.
“Farmers in Karnataka are standing in queues. Urea is being quietly sent across the border, with full knowledge of the state machinery. This is not an isolated case. The Congress has a long history of sacrificing Karnataka’s interests at the feet of its Delhi High Command.”
Ashoka alleged that the current crisis was part of a larger pattern in which the Congress government routinely compromised Karnataka’s interests to appease the central leadership of the party.
“They tried to lift the night traffic ban in Bandipur, risking wildlife and forests to appease Kerala. They allowed medical waste from Kerala to be dumped on our border districts, endangering public health in Karnataka. And now, they’re smuggling urea, prioritising Kerala over Karnataka,” he wrote.
“This is a pattern of betrayal, where Congress repeatedly chooses appeasement over accountability, and politics over people.
He demanded a full-scale investigation into what he termed a “urea scam”, arrests of officials involved, and a white paper on fertiliser supply and distribution.
Urea consumption has surged across India in recent years, with Telangana alone accounting for a 21 percent increase during the 2024–25 Rabi (Yasangi) season, and a 12.4 percent rise in the current Kharif season compared to last year.
Yet, the Centre’s response has not kept up with the demand.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on 25 July, wrote to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister JP Nadda, raising concerns over the shortfall in supply.
In the letter, he pointed out that while the Government of India had allocated 11.17 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of urea to the state for the Kharif 2025 season, only 5.17 lakh MT had been supplied till that date. This, he said, fell short of Karnataka’s requirement of 6.81 lakh MT between April and July.
“Further, some of the fertiliser companies have expressed their inability to supply urea fertiliser as per the allocation made by the Government of India,” the Chief Minister noted in the letter.
He also attributed the increased demand to early monsoon rains and timely water release in the command areas of the Tungabhadra, Cauvery, and Krishna rivers. This had led to early sowing activity, particularly of maize – a crop known for its high fertiliser consumption.
Siddaramaiah explained that maize cultivation had expanded by nearly two lakh hectares compared to previous years, while the area under pulses had declined. Additionally, around 13,000 hectares of pre-Kharif crop area had been resown, further contributing to the demand.
Given these developments, the Chief Minister urged the Union government to expedite the remaining supply of 1.65 lakh MT of urea to meet the state’s full allocation. “Therefore, I request you direct the concerned to expedite the supply of shortfall of 1,65,541 MT of urea, as per the State’s allocation, in the interest of the farmers,” he wrote.
In response, the Department of Fertilisers (DoF) said it is “closely monitoring the situation.”
“DoF has ensured timely and adequate availability of 8.73 lakh MT of urea against pro-rata requirement of 6.3 lakh MT to Karnataka during the ongoing Kharif 2025 season so far. During the same period, the state has recorded sales of 7.08 LMT – much higher than the pro-rata requirement,” the Department said.
It added that it continues to coordinate with the state government to ensure timely access to urea for farmers through the remainder of the Kharif season.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
