Sirsa farmers queue up before sunrise for DAP fertiliser amid growing shortage

For hundreds of farmers in Sirsa, getting fertiliser for the upcoming rabi crop season has become a daily struggle. Short supply of DAP (Di-Ammonium Phosphate) is forcing them to queue up outside distribution centres as early as 4 am, hoping they’ll get enough bags to sow their fields.

At multiple centers across the city, the farmers are seen preparing lists even before sunrise. Once the shops open, the staff write numbers on the farmers’ hands or clothes to maintain order and prevent queue-jumping. But the real challenge begins after that waiting all day for a token, and then possibly still not getting enough fertiliser.

On Friday, DAP distribution started at three centres. At each one, more than 150 to 200 farmers were in line. Some farmers accused sellers of giving out early tokens to selected individuals, later claiming that the stock had finished. Similar complaints surfaced at IFFCO and Janata Bhawan Road centres, prompting an inspection by the Quality Control of India (QCI) team.

With rising demand, the officials are limiting each farmer to just two to five bags of DAP far below the average need of 20 bags per farmer. The intention is to ensure more people get at least some fertiliser, but it’s causing repeated trips and frustration.

Farmers like Ladhuram and Vikram Kumar from Randhawa village said they spent the entire day standing in a line just to get a token for five bags. “We’re not even sure whether we’ll get those five bags,” they said. “We come with tractors every time, burn fuel, lose time and still return with half our needs unmet.”

They’ve urged the administration to ensure enough DAP supply, fearing delays in sowing if the issue continues.

Amit Kumar, Quality Control Inspector from the Agriculture Department, said that DAP was being distributed at four centres in the city. Many farmers register their names at one centre and then go to other centres to do the same, which is causing more confusion. All centres have been inspected. The distribution is being done based on the number of farmers and the available stock, he said.