Farmers protest in Ganjam district for urgent urea supply amid fertilizer crisis

Berhampur: Farmers on Monday blocked roads for several hours at Ganianala and Hatapada in Ganjam district demanding immediate supply of urea. Due to their protest, traffic between Berhampur and Digapahandi and Aska and Digapahandi was disrupted.The protest was called off after the intervention of the police and tehsildars, who assured that fertilizer would be supplied.“We have deployed one platoon of force to maintain law and order during the supply of urea at Siddheshwar society,” said P K Patra, inspector in-charge of Digapahandi police station.In several places of Aska and Purushottampur, farmers were seen queuing up outside different societies since morning.“For the last 4-5 days we have been waiting for urea, which is urgently required to apply in the paddy field. But the secretary of the society stopped disbursing urea citing short supply,” alleged Ranjan Sethi, a farmer who waited outside Siddheshwar. A similar situation arose in Sahasapur society under Sanakhemundi block.Chief district agriculture officer (CDAO) Ajay Kumar Kar said the crisis arose due to sudden demand for urea following the rains. The district has received over 27,000 metric tons of urea so far, including 1100 metric tons on Monday. “We have requested the govt for supply of 8,000 metric tons of more urea to tackle the crisis,” Kar said.