Assam: Despite SOP in place, unscrupulous trade in subsidised urea continues

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In a bid to streamline distribution of subsidised fertilisers among farmers in the state, an SOP was issued in June 2022. After the issue of SOP, the process was streamlined to a certain extent, but recently it has come to light that subsidised fertilisers are being sold at higher prices in some areas due to negligence of district agriculture offices or establishment of a nexus with fertiliser retailers. Due to a lack of strict monitoring and vigilance by agriculture department officials, the black marketing of urea by unscrupulous traders continues.

This issue is primarily seen in several Lower Assam districts and certain areas on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River. It is alleged by farmers in Barkhetri, Nalbari, Howly, Barpeta, etc., that artificial scarcity is cited by retailers for higher prices. The subsidised rate of a 50-kg bag of urea is Rs 268, whereas the farmers have to pay around Rs 500 to 700 for such urea bags. Complaints at district agriculture offices have failed to yield any result in curbing this charging of higher prices by urea retailers. “The retailers tell us that there is a shortage of urea, but at nighttime huge quantities of urea bags are surreptitiously sent to sar areas. A few cases have also been lodged against such activities. We believe that such activities cannot take place without the knowledge or consent of agriculture department employees,” some farmers complained.

The SOP provides for farmers to avail themselves of at least 50 bags of subsidised urea. To avail themselves of this facility, farmers have to verify their identities through their voter cards. Many small farmers do not require 50 bags of urea. Middlemen use their voter cards to procure the extra bags of urea and sell these at higher prices. Prior to the SOP in 2022, there were rampant irregularities and black marketing in the sale and distribution of urea. To curb such unscrupulous activities, the SOP was notified, and the Assam State Agriculture Marketing Board was declared the sole wholesaler of urea in the state. The board had set up a fertiliser cell in its headquarters and 33 district fertiliser units. The board received urea from the four companies of BVFCL, IFFCO, IPL and Matix and distributed urea among the retailers registered under the board.

Despite the state government’s efforts, the agriculture department’s inefficiency has resulted in a failure to curb this menace, and such unscrupulous activities continue to thrive.

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