Digapahandi: A shortage of urea fertilizer in Digapanadi area of Ganjam is deepening by the day. As cooperative societies do not have adequate stock of urea, farmers have to go through a tough time at the peak of farming season.
Angry over the crisis, over a thousand farmers gathered at the local cooperative society at 10 am Thursday.
Farmer leaders and CPI(M) activists later thronged the NH-17 and blocked it for two hours. Vehicular movement came to a standstill for hours. Thousands of trucks, buses and cars were stranded for hours.
They alleged that the fertilizer shortage has affected the farming activities.
Tehsildar Adaita Kumar Swain, IIC Basant Kumar Sethi along with police personnel rushed to the agitation spot.
They tried to placate the farmers. After the tehsildar assured that fertilizers will be distributed among the farmers from Friday, the latter refrained from the agitation.
This situation has sprung up amid allegations that some wholesalers and retailers have resorted to hoarding, as a result of which black marketing has risen.
The tehsildar said only 225 sacks of urea have been in stock at the cooperative society while 225 more sacks will be brought Friday.
Besides, a private dealer will get 3000 sacks of urea in a couple of days while all the famers will be able to avail of urea as per their requirements within a week, he added.
Suresh Kumar Nanda, the secretary of the cooperative society said 200 potash packets are in stock. Farmers are being sold urea packets for Rs 675 each. The gromer packets are sold for Rs 450, he added.
PNN