Bengaluru, July 28, 2025: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing attack on the Congress-ruled Karnataka government, claiming it is grappling with a critical urea and quality seed shortage. BJP's state president, B.Y. Vijayendra, accused the state administration of severe mismanagement, highlighting a discrepancy of 2.5 lakh tonnes of urea between the 8.7 lakh tonnes provided by the central government and the 5.25 lakh tonnes currently available within Karnataka.
Vijayendra addressed the media on Sunday (July 28, 2025), revealing plans for statewide protests at district headquarters on Monday to underscore the government's inability to tackle the crisis effectively. He criticized both the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Agriculture Minister Cheluvarayaswamy for their apparent lack of concern towards farmers and their inability to anticipate the issue despite early monsoon showers initiating the sowing season in regions such as Kalaburagi, Koppala, and Shivamogga. The early rains had brought a sense of urgency to the farming community, which is now struggling due to the shortages, exacerbating the crisis.
Mismanagement and Neglect of Nano Urea
Vijayendra criticized the Siddaramaiah govt for their inadequate planning ahead of the sowing season, despite early monsoon predictions. He asserted that the state should have requested additional urea supplies from the central government at the onset of the planting period. The current shortage could have been averted with timely action, he said. Moreover, Vijayendra accused the state of neglecting the promotion of nano urea, an efficient alternative advocated by the Union govt.
This oversight, he claimed, exacerbated the crisis, as nano urea's high efficiency could have reduced the demand for traditional urea. He highlighted that just one or two bottles of nano urea have the potential to replace several bags of conventional urea.
Additionally, Vijayendra pointed out that the Siddaramaiah govt had reduced the buffer stock fund for fertilizers from Rs 1,000 crore under the previous CM B.S. Yediyurappa to Rs 400 crore, which he argued undermined the agricultural community's requirements. He concluded by stating that the present Karnataka govt has not taken sufficient measures to support farmers.
Suspicions of Black Market Diversion
Adding to the ongoing controversy, ex-Agriculture Minister and BJP member B.C. Patil voiced concerns regarding the alleged diversion of urea to the black market during a speech in Haveri on Sunday. Patil suggested that factories in regions such as Kolar might be illegally obtaining urea intended for farmers.
He stated, "During my tenure, we successfully tackled similar issues. It seems this nefarious network has resurfaced," advocating for an investigation into the disappearance of 2.5 lakh tonnes of the vital fertilizer. Moreover, Patil slammed the state government for its inability to forecast fertilizer requirements despite early monsoon predictions provided by weather reports. He accused the government of "complete negligence" in managing fertilizer supplies, resulting in hardships for farmers.
Patil highlighted that heavy rains have destroyed crops in some regions, whereas other areas are unable to begin the sowing process because of the fertilizer scarcity. In light of this crisis, the BJP has organized protests to demand that the government take immediate action. Their goals include addressing the urea shortage and offering compensation to farmers for crop damage caused by excessive rainfall.
Keywords: Karnataka urea shortage, BJP protests, B.Y. Vijayendra, Siddaramaiah, fertilizer crisis, nano urea, Karnataka farmers, agriculture, Cheluvarayaswamy, black market urea, B.C. Patil, monsoon sowing
.png "Urea Crunch Hits Karnataka Farmers, BJP Plans Protests")