Rajasthan fertiliser distribution dispute erupts as rabi sowing begins
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot accused the Rajasthan government of failing to deliver fertilisers for the rabi season, while Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said stocks are sufficient.
The availability of fertilisers for the rabi season has become a flashpoint in Rajasthan politics. Ashok Gehlot, a senior Congress leader and former chief minister, posted on X that the distribution system through cooperative societies has broken down, forcing farmers to return empty-handed after online bookings. Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena responded that the state possesses 372,000 tonnes of urea, 106,000 tonnes of DAP, 97,000 tonnes of NPK and 208,000 tonnes of SSP, and that priority supplies are being directed to districts with low availability.
He warned against unnecessary purchases or hoarding and highlighted a state-level plan to increase oilseed and pulse cultivation while reducing cereal area. The minister also said the plan aligns fertiliser distribution with the projected crop-wise acreage for the 2026-27 rabi season.
Why it matters
Fertiliser shortages could jeopardise crop yields and farmer incomes in a key Indian agricultural state.
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