Odisha Chief Secretary Orders Stern Action Against Fertilizer Black Marketing

Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on Friday reviewed the fertilizer availability in Odisha and directed strict enforcement against black marketing and smuggling, ensuring that farmers receive timely supplies for the ongoing agricultural season. The high-level meeting was held at Lok Seva Bhawan and attended by senior officials from key departments.

During the review, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, reported that fertilizer supply has improved significantly. Against the projected requirement of 10 lakh metric tonnes, Odisha has already received 11.98 lakh metric tonnes by September 17. An additional 8,921 MT of urea is currently in transit, while 30,900 MT has been scheduled for delivery by the end of the month.

Dr. Padhee informed that district administrations are closely monitoring distribution at the grassroots level. Raids are being conducted to curb black marketing, with confiscated stocks to be redistributed to farmers as per need. He also urged farmers to adopt a balanced use of fertilizers in the 4:2:1 ratio (N:P:K) to preserve soil fertility, rather than over-relying on urea.

Chief Secretary Ahuja instructed officials to adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward illegal fertilizer trade and asked District Collectors to reallocate supplies between surplus and deficit regions. He also directed authorities to verify reports of fertilizer shortages in the media and ensure grievances are resolved promptly.