The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has strongly condemned the BJP-led union government for failing to provide enough Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and other fertilizers needed during the peak Rabi crop sowing season. AIKS blames the government for the severe difficulties farmers across India faced in obtaining DAP, with many having to wait in long queues and even return empty-handed. In Haryana, some police stations were used as distribution centers due to the shortage, creating a law-and-order issue.
According to a press release from AIKS, the shortage is due to poor planning by the government, which failed to secure enough fertilizer stocks. This year's imports of DAP fell to 19.7 lakh tonnes between April and September, compared to 34.5 lakh tonnes in the same period the previous year. The government’s stock of DAP was only 15-16 lakh tonnes as of October 1, against the recommended 27-30 lakh tonnes. Farmers are now forced to pay up to Rs. 400 more than the official price of Rs. 1,350 per 50-kg bag of DAP.
AIKS criticized the government for promoting alternatives like Nano-Urea without clear evidence of their effectiveness and called for increased domestic fertilizer production and long-term import deals.