Yavatmal: Despite administration releasing buffer stock of urea last week to improve availability, farmers across the district continue to face acute shortage of the essential fertilizer. The scarcity has forced cultivators to make repeated visits to agricultural input centres, with many returning empty-handed.Around 1.1 million hectares have been brought under cultivation in the district this kharif season, with cotton, soybean and pigeon pea (tur) being the major crops. These crops require nitrogen during their crucial growth stage, making urea indispensable. However, the ongoing shortage has begun to affect crop growth, raising concerns among farmers.Farmers have also alleged that several agricultural input dealers are insisting on the purchase of additional products along with urea, a practice commonly referred to as “linking.” This has significantly increased cultivation costs and placed additional financial burden on growers.Although the govt-fixed price of a urea bag is 266, farmers claim that after transportation charges they are paying 310–320 per bag. In many cases, they are also compelled to buy other fertilizers or agricultural inputs before being allowed to purchase urea. As a result, obtaining even a single bag of urea has become a difficult task.Farmers alleged that the practice of forced linking has turned into a means of exploitation, leading to widespread resentment across the district. A farmer, Anup Chavan, said, “Only one bag of urea is being supplied to each farmer. Those who purchased seeds from Andhra Pradesh are reportedly being denied urea by local dealers. This has created unnecessary hardship. I have cultivated cotton and soybean on 25 acres of land, and with only one bag of urea available, it has become impossible to decide which crop should receive it.“
