Koppal: Farmers across Koppal district are struggling to procure adequate quantities of urea as the kharif sowing season gathers pace, with long queues, supply restrictions and delays under the mandatory Farmer ID (FID) system adding to their concerns.
The shortage has forced many cultivators to spend hours outside fertiliser outlets, only to receive less urea than required for their fields. In several places, farmers adopted an unusual method to hold their place in the queue, leaving photocopies of RTC records, Aadhaar cards and other documents while waiting under nearby trees. Farmers also placed slippers in queues in Sedam taluk of Kalaburagi.
Good rainfall over the past week has accelerated agricultural activity in the district, increasing demand for fertilisers. Farmers have prepared fields and begun sowing operations, making timely availability of urea crucial.
Distribution through the FID system has further slowed the process, farmers said. Every purchase requires document verification and KYC, with each transaction taking nearly 30 minutes. Frequent server issues have pushed waiting times beyond an hour.
Police have been deployed at fertiliser sale centres as a precautionary measure after last year’s rush for urea in the district. Despite waiting in line from early morning, several farmers said they were unable to procure fertiliser matching their cultivation needs. “I own three-and-a-half acres, but I was given urea only for two acres. How can I manage my crop with such a limited quantity?” asked Bhimashankar, a farmer from Kalakeri village in Koppal taluk.
Gangavathi taluk farmers’ association president Srinivas Hosalli said farmers across the district are preparing to sow pigeon pea, jowar, bajra, sunflower and cotton, while paddy nurseries are being readied in the Gangavathi region. Fertiliser availability at this stage is critical, he said.
Hosalli urged the agriculture department to distribute fertiliser based on crop requirements, withdraw the one-bag-per-acre-per-month urea rule under the FID system, and ensure dealers do not compel farmers to buy linked products such as nano urea and other fertilisers.
Agriculture officer Akash Dani advised farmers against excessive use of urea, noting that overuse could reduce soil fertility and increase pest and disease incidence. He urged cultivators to conduct soil tests and apply urea in recommended quantities and stages for better productivity.
With sowing activity picking up across the district, farmers said timely access to adequate quantities of urea is as important as favourable rainfall.
