New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) Union Minister J.P. Nadda on Friday dismissed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks on fertiliser shortage as “politically motivated”, asserting that there is no crisis and that farmers are being misled.
Taking to X, the Union Minister wrote, “The Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement on fertiliser shortage is a politically motivated attempt to mislead farmers and manufacture panic where none exists”.
“It is unfortunate that the Congress continues to treat our ‘annadatas’ as a vote bank, peddling misinformation instead of standing with them in good faith. The facts speak for themselves. The Modi government has always stood firmly with our farmers. The availability of fertilisers has consistently outpaced requirement across the country,” Nadda said.
He said Indian farmers continue to receive fertilisers at highly subsidised rates despite global price pressures.
“While a bag of urea costs over Rs 4,000 internationally, our farmers receive it for just Rs 266.5. Similarly, since the Covid period, a bag of DAP is available to farmers at Rs 1,350, while global prices are over Rs 4,000,” he said.
Nadda said it was “hard to believe” that Kharge could be so “misinformed”, adding that such statements could also reflect the influence of those around him.
He further stated that fertiliser stock positions are stronger compared to last year, claiming that DAP stocks are higher by over 50 per cent, NPK stocks have increased by around 30 per cent, and urea availability remains stable.
The Union minister said he has personally spoken to Chief Ministers and Agriculture Ministers of major states to ensure smooth availability and added that the Centre is in constant coordination with state authorities to act against hoarding, diversion, black marketing, and attempts to create panic.
He also noted that the government has secured 25 lakh metric tonnes of urea through global tendering, with Indian missions working to facilitate alternative sources of supply.
On April 23, Kharge had written on X, criticising the Central government: “Even before geopolitical disruptions, fertiliser shortages were already being reported across multiple seasons. Indian farmers painfully suffer the consequences of the BJP’s apathy.”
“Fertiliser production has now fallen to a five-year low in March 2026, with a massive 24.6 per cent year-on-year drop. China had already restricted specialised fertilisers in July 2025, but the Modi government did not diversify imports. Russia has also now halted fertiliser exports.”
–IANS
pgh/uk
