The shortage threatens the sowing of key Kharif crops, including paddy (14.19 lakh hectares) and maize (6.63 lakh hectares), despite expectations of a good monsoon.
Published Jul 24, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 24, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Andhra Pradesh government set to roll out Annadata Sukheebhava scheme in August to help farmers in their kahriff operations
Synopsis: Fertiliser shortages, driven by inadequate local production and lower imports, have severely impacted farmers in Telangana as this year’s Kharif season gets underway. Across the state, chaotic scenes have unfolded at distribution centres, with farmers queuing overnight and being asked to present Aadhaar cards to access the already limited supplies. Allegations of black marketing and hoarding have intensified, with Opposition leaders accusing traders of creating artificial scarcity to drive up prices.
Farmers in Telangana are facing an acute shortage of fertilisers, particularly urea, which is essential for replenishing nitrogen in the soil, even as this year’s Kharif (Vanakalam) season gets underway.
The short supply is disrupting sowing schedules and has sparked widespread protests among farmers.
The crisis, driven by supply chain disruptions, rising demand, and production setbacks, has led to long queues, frayed tempers, and allegations of black marketing across districts including Nalgonda, Khammam, Warangal, Adilabad, and Kamareddy.
The problem has been compounded by delays in urea imports and crippled local production due to the closure of the National Fertilizers Corporation Limited (NFCL) unit in Kakinada and a two-week shutdown of the Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited’s urea plant in July 2025.
The shortage threatens the sowing of key Kharif crops, including paddy (14.19 lakh hectares) and maize (6.63 lakh hectares), despite expectations of a good monsoon.
A 10–15 percent drop in yields is possible if sowing delays continue, affecting Telangana’s 53.51 lakh hectares of cultivated land.
Urea consumption in Telangana has surged in recent years, according to official sources, with 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.
Experts have flagged the state’s heavy reliance on paddy and cotton – both fertiliser-intensive crops – as unsustainable and a key factor behind rising demand.
Excessive fertiliser use risks long-term soil degradation, with experts warning of reduced water retention and micronutrient depletion.
Yet, the state’s per-hectare fertiliser use, at 297 grams, ranks fifth nationally, far above the global average of 78.4 grams.
For the 2024–25 Kharif season, the Centre allocated just 6.81 lakh metric tonnes of urea against Telangana’s demand of 8.54 lakh metric tonnes.
Between April and June 2025, the state received only 3.07 lakh metric tonnes of urea against a demand of 5 lakh metric tonnes, resulting in a deficit of 1.94–2 lakh metric tonnes.
For July, the state requested 63,000 metric tonnes of domestic urea and 97,000 metric tonnes of imported urea, but only 29,000 tonnes were delivered.
Delays in railway rake allocations for transporting domestically produced fertilisers have further worsened the situation.
The fertiliser shortage has severely impacted farmers, particularly in irrigated districts where rice cultivation depends heavily on urea.
In Bheemini, Mancherial district, farmers staged protests after the local Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society halted distribution due to inadequate stocks – having distributed only 780 bags against a requirement of nearly double that amount.
Across the state, chaotic scenes have unfolded at distribution centres, with farmers queuing overnight and being asked to present Aadhaar cards to access the already limited supplies.
Allegations of black marketing and hoarding have intensified, with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao accusing traders of creating artificial scarcity to drive up prices.
Private traders have reportedly taken advantage of the scarcity, selling urea at inflated prices of ₹300 or more per 45 kg bag, compared to the standard rate of ₹266.
In districts like Nalgonda and Khammam, protests have broken out over delays and insufficient supplies, with opposition leaders accusing the state government of poor planning.
Telangana’s Agriculture Department has taken steps to address the crisis, but the problem persists. District-level officials have been asked to ensure uninterrupted supply, especially since demand is reportedly 189 percent higher than the previous year.
They have also been directed to check black marketing. Senior officials are rushing to Delhi to secure the timely release of urea allocated to the state.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, during a 8 July meeting with Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers JP Nadda, had urged the immediate release of the state’s urea quota, citing a shortfall of 1.94 lakh metric tonnes for the April–June period.
Reddy warned of booking cases against those diverting stocks for non-agricultural purposes. The state has set up toll-free numbers for farmers to report supply issues and directed agriculture officers to streamline distribution.
Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, meanwhile dismissed opposition claims of a severe crisis, accusing them of creating panic, and urged farmers to report issues directly to officials.
Meanwhile, despite 1.22 lakh metric tonnes of urea reportedly available in state godowns, distribution bottlenecks have hindered timely delivery to farmers.
Responding to Chief Minister Revanth’s appeal in Parliament, Union Minister JP Nadda assured full support to Telangana’s farmers, promising that there would be no shortage of fertiliser during the Kharif season.
He directed officials from the Department of Fertilisers to ensure an uninterrupted supply of urea, particularly for July and August, and stressed the need to meet the state’s “genuine demand.”
Nadda also raised concerns about black marketing, pointing out that of the 1 lakh inspections conducted nationwide between 1 April and 11 July, as many as 44,825 were in Telangana – which, he said, highlighted the seriousness of the issue in the state.
Nadda expressed concern over Telangana’s rising urea consumption and urged the state to implement the Centre’s PM-PRANAM scheme, which incentivises reduced chemical fertiliser use and promotes organic and natural farming.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy had stated that the Centre supplied 10.02 lakh metric tonnes of urea for the 2024–25 Rabi season, exceeding Telangana’s request of 9.8 lakh metric tonnes, and provided an additional 16,000 tonnes in February 2025 to address shortages.
On 22 July 2025, Nadda met with Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy and BJP Telangana president N Ramachander Rao to discuss the fertiliser scarcity.
The Telangana BJP leaders blamed the state government for inefficiency in ensuring equitable distribution, despite adequate supplies from the Centre.
The fertiliser crisis has sparked political tensions, with the opposition BRS accusing the state government of mismanagement. Allegations of artificial scarcity created by traders and distribution rackets have prompted calls for an investigation.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
