Hyderabad: Farmers in Telangana’s Huzurabad region staged a protest on Wednesday over the ongoing shortage of urea. They blamed local officials and fertilizer sellers for hoarding the supply and charging higher prices.
The protest happened outside the office of Agriculture Officer Bhoom Reddy. Farmers from nearby villages gathered there after going without urea for more than a week. They questioned the officer directly about the delay.
Farmers said PACS societies and private dealers were handing out only a small share of the urea. They claimed the rest was being sold in the black market. “We get just a few bags. The rest vanishes and comes back at double the price,” said one farmer.
They also said sellers were forcing them to buy other fertilizers like potash along with urea. “We are being made to buy things we don’t need, just to get urea,” said another protester.
Upset with the lack of fairness, farmers asked for a token system for future deliveries. Bhoom Reddy said a fresh stock would arrive in two days. He promised to give urea to both earlier and new token holders.
Even after the promise, many farmers stayed at the protest site. They demanded strict checks on fertilizer sales and action against those misusing the supply.