Bengaluru, Sep 17 (IANS) AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, calling for the immediate supply of 3.36 lakh metric tonnes of pending urea fertilizer to Karnataka.

The demand comes amid an early onset of the monsoon and an accelerated Kharif sowing season in the state.

Surjewala, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, stated, “India is an agrarian country, with farmers forming the backbone of our economy. In Karnataka, the monsoon has arrived early this year, with rainfall about three per cent above normal, prompting the sowing season to begin sooner than expected.”

He stated, “For the year 2025–26, the state has set a target of sowing over 114.40 lakh hectares, aiming to produce 160.68 lakh tonnes of food grains and oilseeds. For the Kharif season, the sowing target was 82.50 lakh hectares, of which 81.85 lakh hectares have already been sown.”

The estimated demand for various chemical fertilizers during the Kharif season is 26.77 lakh metric tonnes, but there is a shortage of 3.36 lakh metric tonnes of urea, he said.

Surjewala pointed out that it is the sole responsibility of the Union Government to supply fertilizers to the states according to their requirements, but, unfortunately, Karnataka has not received fertilizers in proportion to its demand.

Surjewala underlined that from April to September 2025, 3.36 lakh metric tonnes of urea fertilizer due to Karnataka remain pending, creating an acute shortage in the state, as the supply of urea this year has been reduced by nearly 50 per cent.

He urged the Union Government to immediately supply the pending urea fertilizer to Karnataka, emphasising that it was in the interest of the farmers.

“Karnataka Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has already met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to request the release of 3.36 lakh metric tonnes of urea due to the state. I appeal to the Central Government to consider this request and take necessary measures to safeguard the interests of Karnataka’s farmers,” Surjewala stated.

The development is expected to trigger a fresh round of controversy.

In July this year, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had urged Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers J.P. Nadda to expedite the supply of 1.65 lakh metric tonnes of urea fertilizer allocated to the state, emphasising that the rising demand and resulting shortage were causing unrest among farmers.

The Karnataka BJP, on the other hand, has alleged that although good monsoon rainfall across the state should have enabled farmers to be fully engaged in sowing, they are instead struggling without access to fertilizers due to the negligence of the Congress-led state government.

–IANS

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