SIRSA, July 10 — The fertiliser crisis in Haryana’s Sirsa district deepened on Wednesday as agricultural authorities suspended the operations of two fertiliser dealers in Mandi Dabwali following surprise inspections that uncovered serious irregularities in stock and sales records.
A special inspection team, led by Dr Jagminder Nain, Joint Director (Agricultural Engineering), and Dr Sukhdev Kamboj, Deputy Director of Agriculture, found violations in stock registers, godown inventories, and point-of-sale (POS) data at the two outlets. Quality control inspectors, subject experts, and plant protection officers were part of the team.
“The sale of fertilisers at both shops has been suspended with immediate effect,” said an official, confirming that show-cause notices were also issued to the dealers. The department warned against the illegal practice of “tagging” — where farmers are coerced into buying bundled products — and reinforced the need to follow government distribution norms.
The crackdown comes amid mounting farmer frustration over the acute shortage of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, essential for the sowing of narma (cotton) during the early monsoon. On Monday, chaotic scenes broke out at several fertiliser centres, including the PACS outlet on Janata Bhawan Road in Sirsa city, where scuffles erupted, prompting police deployment.
“We needed four bags, but were given only two,” said one farmer, summing up the supply-demand gap. Others alleged favouritism and poor crowd management. “People with tokens were turned away, while others got bags without even waiting in line,” claimed another.
With DAP stocks running low at official centres, many farmers have turned to private vendors — where the fertiliser is allegedly being sold at inflated rates — further straining already burdened rural households.
The Agriculture Department has promised continued inspections and strict action against any form of hoarding or black marketing. “Dealers must ensure fair and timely distribution of fertilisers. We will not tolerate irregularities,” said a senior official involved in the operation.
Farmers, however, are demanding swift state intervention to restore adequate and affordable fertiliser supply across cooperative and private channels before the sowing season slips out of reach.
