Telangana:
It is drought sometimes, or sometimes it is excessive rains, and at times it is fertilizer shortage, seems like it's raining misery for the farmers of our country.
In several Telangana districts of Andhra Pradesh, fertilizer shortage is spelling doom over farmers. Despite receiving sufficient rains this year, hopes of a good crop have diminished.
Desperate to get fertilisers for their crop, farmers are now voicing their anger on the local authorities.
"Till now you heard of farmers suicides, now we will make the political leaders pay for this,'' said Shankar Nail, Farmer.
With the situation turning volatile, local police stations in the districts have been given the responsibility to distribute urea and ration the supply.
"This is flowering time for maize. It needs fertilizer. I may manage to get two bags but I need six bags. Otherwise the crop will go,'' said a farmer waiting in the queue for his share.
As per the farmers' estimate the shortfall is up to 50 per cent but the government says late rains have triggered a sudden spurt in demand, so there is panic buying, hoarding and artificial shortage.
"The farmers are afraid they won't get supplies, so they are panicking and there is a problem, '' said S Radhakrishna, District Official
Andhra Pradesh has the highest per capita fertilizer consumption in the country, that is almost double the national average, and is next only in Uttar Pradesh in total demand.
As more days pass by without fertilizers, the panic and desperation of the farmers can only be measured by looking at the long, unending queues.