Bhubaneswar: In light of an alleged shortage of certain fertilizers attributed to the ongoing global geopolitical climate, the Odisha government has urged district collectors to take decisive action against traders engaged in black marketing and hoarding practices, officials reported on Friday.
The State Cooperation Department has mandated that collectors closely oversee fertilizer stock usage to prevent hoarding, black marketing, artificial scarcity, and illegal cross-border movement.
Officials reassured farmers, stating that the administration is implementing multiple proactive strategies to facilitate the steady supply and fair distribution of fertilizers throughout the state for the Kharif 2026 season.
After the Centre allocated various grades of fertilizers, sufficient stock has been established at Markfed, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Large-sized Adivasi Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPCS), and authorized retail dealers to fulfill the total demand from farmers.
To enhance logistics, a detailed monthly supply plan has been created in collaboration with central authorities, manufacturers, and local stakeholders, according to officials.
Moreover, manufacturers and Markfed have been directed to align their allocations with real-time demand and stock levels across grassroots credit societies.
In accordance with the state’s primary objective of delivering high-quality fertilizers at regulated government prices, specialized enforcement teams comprised of agriculture, revenue, and police personnel have been deployed at both district and block levels.
These teams are engaged in routine surprise inspections at retail and wholesale outlets to detect and address illicit activities, officials indicated.
Additionally, to manage the supply and demand of urea and DAP during the current cropping season, the Agriculture Department has recommended an alternative fertilizer.
The department has advised all district collectors to encourage farmers to utilize ammonium sulphate as a substitute for urea. This alternative contains 20.5% nitrogen and 23% sulfur, which can enhance crop yield while mitigating sulfur deficiencies in the soil.
