Urea shortage sparks chaos in Akot

Akola: Amid rising demand for fertilizers ahead of the kharif season, chaos erupted in Akot town of Akola district on Tuesday as hundreds of farmers gathered outside an agricultural service centre. The situation turned tense after limited stock triggered arguments between farmers and the shopkeeper.Farmers began assembling as early as 4am, forming long queues well before the shop opened. By morning, over 400 farmers, including a significant number of women, were seen waiting for their turn, many sitting for hours in anticipation of getting urea.According to sources, only around 200 bags of urea had arrived at the centre. Due to the shortage, the shopkeeper insisted on distributing just one bag per farmer. This resulted in heated arguments and commotion outside the shop.As the situation escalated, police personnel rushed to the spot to control the crowd and prevent further unrest. The crisis comes at a time when farmers are already reeling from recent unseasonal rains that caused significant crop damage. With the kharif sowing season approaching, the shortage of essential fertilizers like urea has added to their distress.Agriculture development officer Tushar Jadhav clarified that temporary crowding at certain centres often leads to rumours about fertilizer shortages. He assured that adequate stock is being maintained at the district and taluka levels, and that supply is being streamlined.However, for the farmers on the ground, the struggle to secure even a single bag of urea highlights the growing gap between demand and availability during a critical agricultural period.