Pune: Chaos erupted in the villages of Shirur tehsil over the weekend as hundreds of farmers queued for hours to secure urea during the peak kharif sowing season. Police had to be deployed to manage the crowds amid allegations of shortages despite official claims of adequate stocks.At a cooperative agricultural service centre in Aamdabad, the rush began early Friday morning and persisted through Sunday. News of a fresh shipment sent cultivators flocking to the centre, where many waited till 11 pm just to secure a single bag of the essential fertilizer.The surging crowds forced authorities to call for police reinforcements after anxious farmers began jostling to enter the distribution point. Officers remained on-site to maintain order and oversee the distribution process to ensure fair access.This scramble comes at a critical juncture of the monsoon. Timely application of urea is vital for crops like soybean and pearl millet; farmers fear that any delay will stunt growth, slash yields, and drive up cultivation costs.Despite the desperate scenes on the ground, district agriculture officials said there is no supply crisis.“We have approximately 36,000 tonnes of urea in stock, which is more than adequate for the season based on previous years’ estimates,” district agriculture officer Sanjay Kachole told TOI. “We are surprised by this situation. It appears to be an issue of localised distribution at specific centres in Shirur. We have directed our officials to investigate and ensure supplies are diverted to meet local demands immediately.”Kachole added that the department is also investigating whether certain retailers have created an “artificial shortage” to hike prices. “If we find evidence of hoarding or price gouging, we will take strict action. Farmers should not panic and report any irregularities to the tehsil office,” he said.However, the reality for farmers is far more grueling. Many reported spending entire days in line, only to return home empty-handed after stocks were exhausted.Agriculture activists said widespread monsoon rainfall has triggered a sudden spike in demand, exposing deep-seated flaws in the distribution network. They contend that while the district may have enough stock on paper, the failure to move it to retail outlets in a timely manner has fuelled panic buying.“We cannot get urea when we need it. Shopkeepers constantly claim there is a shortage,” said agriculture activist Shantaram Sarvade. “Officials need to stop looking at spreadsheets and start taking direct feedback from farmers during the sowing window.”“During sowing, timing is everything. If a farmer misses the window for urea application, the entire season’s output is at risk,” said activist Shripad Lonari.Farmer organisations have urged the state agriculture department to strengthen monitoring, improve distribution mechanisms and ensure equitable allocation of fertilisers to prevent panic buying and long queues during the peak sowing season.
