Sirsa farmers rush for DAP fertiliser amid fears of shortage

In Sirsa district, even before the kharif harvest has fully begun, farmers are already preparing for the upcoming rabi sowing season, triggering a sharp spike in demand for DAP fertiliser. On Tuesday, the arrival of 1,350 metric tonnes of DAP stock led to long queues, crowding, and chaos outside government and private distribution centres.

Farmers began lining up at the Anaj Mandi distribution point as early as 7 am. To maintain order, staff climbed onto trailers to distribute tokens. However, after handing out tokens to around 150 farmers, the process was paused, prompting frustration and minor protests. While additional tokens were later issued and distribution resumed at other outlets around 2 pm, many farmers spent the day running from one centre to another in search of fertiliser.

Farmers like Sushil Kumar of Kanwarpura and Virender Kumar from Phoolkan villages said they had already queued up several times this season but often returned empty-handed. "This time, we waited for six hours just to get a token," said Kumar. Others echoed similar concerns, citing repeated fertiliser shortages during the sowing season.

However, the Agriculture Department has urged farmers not to panic. Dr Sukhdev Kamboj, Deputy Director of Agriculture, said the rush was unnecessary and could be counterproductive. “Wheat sowing is still about two months away. Storing fertiliser for too long can reduce its quality,” he said, adding that there was no shortage of DAP or urea in the state.

The department has already placed a demand for 45,000 MT of DAP and 1.25 lakh MT of urea for the rabi season, with supply underway. “There is enough stock, and every farmer will get fertiliser as per their need. Creating panic will only increase pressure on the system,” he said.

The distribution will continue on Wednesday across 37 centres in the district, according to agriculture officials.