Shift in Crop Pattern, Re-sowing Result in Urea Scarcity

WHAT has caused the shortage of urea? While the blame-game goes on between the State and Central governments over shortage of fertilizers, there are a host of factors at play.

- ASHWINI M SRIPAD @Bengaluru

To begin with, there is excessive use of fertilizers due to a sudden shift in crop pattern, and re-sowing necessitated by heavy rains.

Then there is the increase in horticulture crops, in turn spiking the demand for urea and other fertilizers. Experts say there is a need to spread awareness about excessive use of fertilizers. Karnataka needs 4 lakh tonnes of DAP for the ongoing kharif season, and over 2 lakh tonnes for rabi. The Centre supplies DAP to states based on their average use for the last three years. The DAP quantity to be supplied for the kharif season is allocated in January, and for rabi in July.

By March 2025, there was 3.6 lakh MT of urea in stock in Karnataka. The State government had requested 6.4 lakh MT of urea, of which the Centre had allotted 5.1 lakh. With earlier stock and this, there was 8.7 lakh MT of urea available in the state. The Centre is yet to supply 1.3 lakh MT.