Koppal ryots camp outside fertiliser centre to collect urea | Hubballi News
Pic: : Farmers make a beeline to a fertiliser store in Hanumasagar village, in Kushtagi taluk of Koppal district, to buy ureaKoppal: A severe shortage of urea fertiliser is impacting farmers in Kalyana Karnataka, prompting many to camp overnight outside the Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Society (PACS) offices in a desperate attempt to secure fertilisers for their crops.On the night of July 28, many farmers from Mudaballi village in Koppal taluk spent the night outside the PACS, hoping for distribution of urea the next morning. With monsoon rains supporting the growth of standing crops, the demand for urea has skyrocketed. However, a substantial disparity between demand and supply has left farmers throughout the district in a difficult position. Reports of black-market sales at inflated prices are emerging from various areas.On Tuesday morning, July 29, urea distribution commenced at 7am at the Mudaballi PACS, but only 200 to 300 bags were available, while nearly 700–800 farmers waited anxiously. This resulted in noticeable frustration and disappointment among the farming community.Local farmers have pointed to the govt’s inability to deliver supplies on time and have criticised society officials for inadequate stock levels. “Even with the pressing demand for fertilisers, the cooperative has failed to accumulate enough, and the govt is not providing sufficient quantities,” remarked Dr Basavaraj Kyavatar, a member of the state executive committee of the BJP.Due to a large crowd gathering at the society, police were deployed to oversee the distribution process. “The situation highlighted the pressing need for improved fertiliser stock management and timely delivery, particularly during this critical agricultural season,” Dr Kyavatar said.According to district agriculture joint director Rudreshappa T, the total sowing target for the 2025-26 monsoon season in the taluk was 75,628 hectares. Of this, 38,000 hectares of cotton has been sown, which is 10% more than the target, while only 10% of the target of 16,000 hectares of paddy has been sown thus far. Farmers are excessively using urea for both of these crops.Assistant agriculture officer Jeevansaab Kushtagi states that farmers are not following the advice of agriculture department officials that excessive use of fertilisers leads to loss of soil fertility. He notes that while one or two urea bags per acre are sufficient, farmers typically use 5-6 bags, causing increased demand.
