Urea sales rising in kharif season across India: Fertiliser minister

He assured that the supply of urea will be augmented in the coming days, according to the requirement. The minister further said the Centre is closely monitoring the availability situation, and steps have been taken to ensure that urea will be made available in time to farmers in Karnataka.

Fertilisers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday said urea sales across the country are witnessing a surge in the ongoing kharif (summer) season and the government is making all efforts to ensure timely and adequate supply to the farmers. Urea stock is at a comfortable level across the country, including Karnataka, he said in a meeting here with Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil.

"Urea sales are witnessing surge this kharif season almost everywhere in the country," Gowda said, as per an official statement. The Centre is taking every effort to strengthen supply from domestic units as well as from imports, when needed, he said. Gowda added that the import cycle has been shortened to augment the supply in line with the peak demand this season.

With regard to urea demand in Karnataka, the minister said the requirement was projected at 8.50 lakh tonnes for the ongoing kharif season. And, the requirement for April to August 26 comes to 6.46 lakh tonnes, against which the Centre has made available 10.24 lakh tonnes of urea to the state, including an opening stock of 3.16 lakh tonnes. In the meeting, Gowda told the state minister that urea sales in the state rose to 8.26 lakh tonnes during the said period, from 5.20 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period.

"Despite this unprecedented high demand for urea this season, the urea availability has remained comfortable in the state," he said appreciating the state government for steps taken against hoarders and black marketeers. He assured that the supply of urea will be augmented in the coming days, according to the requirement.

The minister further said the Centre is closely monitoring the availability situation, and steps have been taken to ensure that urea will be made available in time to farmers in Karnataka. In the meeting, Karnataka's agriculture minister said the supply of urea needs to be scaled up in the state after rise in demand due to a 20 per cent jump in net sown area in the ongoing kharif season, the statement added.