Sirsa, Sept 17 — Even before the kharif harvest is complete, farmers in Sirsa are rushing to prepare for the rabi sowing season, creating a sudden surge in demand for diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser and leading to chaotic scenes outside distribution centres on Tuesday.
The district received 1,350 metric tonnes of DAP stock, but its arrival triggered long queues and crowding at both government and private outlets. At the Anaj Mandi centre, farmers began lining up as early as 7 a.m. Staff members climbed onto tractor trailers to distribute tokens, but the process was halted after only 150 were handed out. The pause sparked frustration and minor protests, as many cultivators feared they would miss out. Additional tokens were later issued, and distribution resumed at several outlets around 2 p.m., but by then farmers had already spent hours moving between centres in search of supplies.
Some said this was not their first attempt. Sushil Kumar of Kanwarpura village and Virender Kumar of Phoolkan recalled waiting in similar queues earlier in the season but leaving empty-handed. “This time, we waited for six hours just to get a token,” Kumar said. Others echoed the concern, complaining that repeated shortages during the sowing period added to their uncertainty.
Officials, however, urged patience and dismissed fears of scarcity. Dr. Sukhdev Kamboj, Deputy Director of Agriculture, said farmers were rushing unnecessarily. “Wheat sowing is still about two months away. Storing fertiliser for too long can reduce its quality,” he said. He added that the state had already placed a demand for 45,000 metric tonnes of DAP and 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of urea, and supplies were in progress. “There is enough stock, and every farmer will get fertiliser as per their need. Creating panic will only increase pressure on the system,” he said.
Distribution will continue on Wednesday across 37 centres in the district, according to agriculture officials.
