Vijayawada: With the kharif season fast approaching, farmers are growing increasingly anxious as fertiliser prices continue to rise sharply, threatening to further inflate cultivation costs at a time when agriculture is already under severe financial stress. The recent escalation in the West Asian conflict is now beginning to cast a shadow on the farming sector, with traders and agriculture experts warning of a ripple effect on fertiliser imports and pricing.
Sharp Rise in Fertiliser Prices
The steepest shock has come from the price hike of complex fertilisers widely used in paddy cultivation. The popular 20:20:20:0:13 fertiliser, which cost around Rs 1,500 per 50-kg bag in February, is now being sold for nearly Rs 2,250 — a staggering increase of Rs 750 within a few months. Other fertilisers such as 14:35:14 and 10:26:26 have also witnessed sharp increases, while potash prices have moved upward as well.
Farmers Express Despair
For farmers already struggling with rising labour charges, tenant rents and uncertain market prices, the sudden fertiliser hike has come as a major setback. “We are entering the season with fear instead of hope,” said Konda Nagaraju, a farmer from the Krishna delta. “Every year the investment burden keeps increasing, but crop prices are not improving. If fertiliser rates continue like this, many small farmers may fall deeper into debt.”
Another paddy farmer, Rayudu Gagadhar, said the increase would severely affect cultivation decisions this year. “Normally we use at least two bags of complex fertiliser per acre. Now we have to spend hundreds of rupees extra per acre. For farmers cultivating on leased lands, this is becoming unbearable,” he lamented.
Financial Burden on Farmers
Paddy is cultivated across nearly 4.85 lakh acres in NTR district, and agriculture officials estimate that the fertiliser price rise alone could impose an additional burden of nearly Rs 33.95 crore on farmers in the combined district during the coming season. This extra cost comes on top of already high input expenses, making it difficult for small and marginal farmers to break even.
Demand for Government Intervention
Farmer associations are now urging the government to intervene by increasing subsidies, regulating fertiliser prices and ensuring adequate stocks before kharif operations begin. Many farmers fear that if prices continue to rise unchecked, the upcoming agricultural season could become one of the costliest in recent years, pushing many into a debt trap.
