Jaipur: Rajasthan is facing a shortage of DAP and urea during the ongoing rabi sowing season, with farmers travelling long distances to procure fertilisers and allegedly paying inflated prices.A bag of DAP, officially priced at Rs 1,350, is reportedly selling for Rs 2,000-2,200, while urea priced at Rs 266.50 is fetching around Rs 500 in the black market.The crisis is evident in Tonk, a major mustard-producing district. Gopilal Jat, a farmer from Dodwali village in Peeplu tehsil, said he had made several trips to Tonk city but faced uncertainty over supplies. His family cultivates 18 bighas and grows mustard, gram and occasionally wheat. While he managed to procure some fertiliser from Tonk and Peeplu, his brothers were still waiting for supplies.“Farmers leave early in the morning and travel long distances to Tonk city to buy fertiliser, but sometimes return empty-handed. The sowing season for Rabi crops has arrived, yet fertiliser is still unavailable,” he said.Kisan Mahapanchayat national president Ram Pal Jat Monday sought the intervention of the Centre and state govt, alleging inadequate stocks, hoarding and black marketing.In a memorandum to Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajasthan agriculture minister Kirori Lal Meena, he said the shortage was disrupting mustard sowing despite official claims of adequate stocks.Citing figures attributed to the state agriculture minister, Jat said Rajasthan’s DAP requirement as of Oct 1 stood at 2.004 lakh tonnes, against availability of 1.41 lakh tonnes, leaving a shortfall of 58,600 tonnes.Jat also criticised the Centre’s Framework for Fertiliser Sale (FFS) app, saying farmers were being asked to travel 20-50 km, sometimes up to 100 km, to designated outlets, only to find them closed or without stock. He sought stronger distribution through Gram Seva Sahakari Samitis, offline booking, SMS-based or toll-free registration and assistance with Farmer IDs.Protests have been reported in Tonk, Dausa, Bharatpur, Jaipur and Kota. In Baran, farmer leader Naresh Meena ended his 10-day fast-unto-death Sunday after receiving written assurances from the district administration. Former CM Ashok Gehlot also criticised the govt over the shortage.
