Urea supply:Wheat growers in Pb,Haryana resort to panic buying

With the Punjab government expressing concern over urea supply, wheat growers in the region have resorted to "panic buying" of fertiliser in anticipation of its severe shortage that could affect prospects of bumper winter crop.
Reports pouring from various wheat growing areas of Punjab as well as Haryana said wheat growers have been buying urea more than what is required at this point of sowing time, fearing fertiliser shortage.
As per reports, farmers protested against the "shortage" of urea at Cheeka area in Kaithal district of Haryana and blocked traffic yesterday.
They alleged that urea was being diverted to black market by some dealers and demanded adequate supply of fertiliser from the administration for their wheat crop.

"What is happening at this moment is that farmers who require urea dose in the month of January are buying it now out of fear that there is going to be shortage of fertiliser which has led to panic buying," a senior official of Punjab Agriculture department said here today.
Punjab and Haryana are two important wheat growing states in the country as they contribute about 45 per cent and 30 per cent respectively to the central pool.

Punjab and Haryana grow wheat over an area of 35 lakh hectares and 25 lakh hectares during rabi season respectively.
SAD-BJP led Punjab government has raised the urea issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding his personal intervention for stepping up urea supply, saying the state faces "acute" shortage of urea that is affecting wheat crop sowing.

"Such a huge gap is not only adversely affecting sowing of Wheat but also creating unrest among the farmers," said Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in a letter written to the PM.
Punjab is demanding stepping up urea supplies to make up the shortfall of 1.47 lakh tonnes. Punjab requires about 13 lakh tonnes of urea for wheat sowing across the state for entire season.
However, the BJP-led Haryana government has ruled out any shortage of urea in the state.