Farmers grapple with fertiliser shortage for mustard sowing

Farmers in Sirsa district are grappling with an ongoing shortage of DAP fertiliser, leaving many frustrated during the critical mustard sowing season. Recently, hundreds of farmers from remote villages gathered outside shops in the Anaj Mandi, hoping to secure their share of fertiliser. Long queues formed early in the morning, and local authorities deployed Home Guard personnel to maintain order.

Amrik Singh from Baragudha, who had been in line since 3 am, expressed concern, saying, “I’ve been waiting for hours without food or water.” Jaiwinder from Sukchain village and Kalu Ram from Kharian echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the urgent need for fertiliser at this crucial time.

Initially, 495 tokens were distributed, but the supply ran out, leading to anger among the farmers. Labh Singh and Krishna Kumar from Kharian shared their concerns, stating, “We came from 40 km away, and now we may have to pay double for DAP if we don’t get it today.”

The Agriculture Department estimates that Sirsa will need around 49,000 MT of DAP to cover 78,000 hectares of mustard and 300,000 hectares for wheat.