Rahul Gandhi Criticizes Govt Over Fertilizer Shortage Impacting Farmers

New Delhi, July 2 (PTI): In a recent statement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the government for failing to support farmers who are currently facing a shortage of essential fertilizers like DAP and urea. This situation has arisen because China has ceased the supply of certain specialty fertilizers imported from its markets.

Gandhi expressed his concerns, highlighting the contradiction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promotion of fertilizers by putting his photos on the bags and the increasing dependency of Indian farmers on 'Made in China' products.

"India is fundamentally an agrarian nation, with farmers serving as the core of our economic structure. However, this crucial sector is now bending under the weight of foreign dependency," Gandhi stated in a Hindi post on Facebook.

He noted that India imports 80 percent of its specialty fertilizers from China, a supply which has now been halted. This halt isn't an isolated event, as according to Gandhi, farmers across the nation have already been grappling with a shortage of basic fertilizers like urea and DAP. The cessation of supply from China only worsens the 'Chinese crisis' surrounding specialty fertilizers.

Gandhi criticized the government's lack of foresight, pointing out that despite being aware that this dependency could become problematic, no provisions were put in place. When there was an opportunity to boost domestic production, no policy or strategic plan was introduced.

He questioned, "Will our farmers now have to rely on external sources even while farming on their own land? Already under immense strain from loans and despair, farmers are asking, 'Who and what do these developments benefit?'"

He referred to reports indicating that farmers, especially those in Rajasthan, are experiencing a shortage of DAP and urea as the sowing season for Kharif crops approaches.