Ganjam, 18th Sept 2025: Farmers in Ganjam Block are facing extreme difficulties due to a shortage of fertilizers, especially urea. While the block requires 220 metric tons of fertilizer, only 111 metric tons have been supplied so far. Farmers have expressed serious concern that if fertilizer is not applied at the right time, it will cause major damage to crops.
In the current kharif season, cultivation has begun on 7,574 hectares of land in the block. Of this, 6,900 hectares have been transplanted with rice seedlings, and 674 hectares have already been sown. The fertilizer shortage is severely affecting farmers in these areas.
To ensure proper distribution of seeds and fertilizers, only 22 cooperative societies are operational in the block. However, no fertilizer distribution has taken place so far from the cooperatives at Ghunathpur, Kalyanpur, Rajpur, and Burudi. Under Kalyanpur PACS, farmers from Kainchapur, Mali Jagannathpur, and Raghunathpur villages are struggling without access to urea.
In Rajpur, nearby farmers have even become agitated over the unavailability of fertilizer bags. Similarly, due to shortages in Aliabad, Lunguri, and Bagalpur PACS, many farmers are forced to buy fertilizer from neighboring societies or open markets at higher prices.
According to Additional Agriculture Officer Pratibha Devi, fertilizers have been sent to societies in Balarampur, Gokharkhuda, Jayajipur, Madhurachua, Niladripur, Santoshpur, and Subalaya. However, farmers complain that these quantities are far from sufficient, comparing them to a “drop in the ocean.” This year, with increased demand for urea, the current supply is failing to meet agricultural needs.
Though the government price of one urea bag is Rs. 266.50, it is being sold at higher prices in the open market, exploiting the crisis.
Farmers from Subalaya, Burudi, Madhurachua, Jharedi, and Rambha cooperative areas are not getting fertilizer as per their requirements. Today, long queues for urea were seen at Jharedi, Gokharkhuda, and Subalaya. Only those pre-registered farmers are getting one bag each, and even that is insufficient.
With rice crops already wilting and turning yellow due to nutrient deficiency, farmers are increasingly worried. They state that each cooperative requires at least two truckloads of fertilizer to meet the demand. Allegations are being made that administrative negligence has led to this persistent crisis.
Farmers urge that if fertilizer is supplied immediately, crops can still mature properly and yield better harvests. They are demanding that the administration take urgent action to resolve the crisis and ensure timely