Farmers are staging a protest in Kalaburagi to get sufficient supplies of DAP

Farmers stage a protest under the banner of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha outside Taluk Agriculture Produce Co-operative Marketing Society office at Nehru Gunj in Kalaburagi on Tuesday. | Photo credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Farmers under the banner of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) staged a protest at the Taluk Agriculture Produce Co-operative Marketing Society (TAPCMS) office near Nehru Gunj Rural Police Station in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, demanding adequate supply of DAP fertilizer to all farmers and opposing artificial scarcity and increase in fertilizer prices ahead of the kharif sowing season.

The protesters, through Regional Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Joint Director of Agriculture Kalaburagi, submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Home Minister Priyank Kharge.

Lack

KPRS District President Sharanbasappa Mamshetty told the gathering at the agitation venue that the scarcity of fertilizers is not natural but man-made by traders and their agents.

“Farmers are running from shop to shop with their Aadhaar cards standing in queues for two days and yet only two bags of DAP have been handed over to them. This is nothing short of harassment. The state government must step in immediately and ensure that every farmer gets the fertilizer they need before the sowing season is lost,” he said.

Mr. Mamshetty also warned that if the situation is not urgently addressed, the kharif crop will be severely affected, putting farmers deeper into debt and hardship.

“The state government cannot remain a silent spectator while traders loot farmers. Strict action must be taken against hoarders and black market operators,” he added.

Mr. Mamshetty trained his guns on the Union government over the steep rise in fertilizer prices, saying the Modi government had scrapped fertilizer subsidies and price controls. And the result is clear to everyone.

“DAP has increased to ₹1,490 from ₹1,350, 10-26-26 complex to ₹2,250 from ₹2,025 and 14-35-14 complex to ₹2,400 from ₹2,175. Every season, farmers are bled.

He drew attention to the influence of global factors on domestic prices.

“The war in West Asia has affected DAP supply internationally. But instead of protecting farmers from this shock, the Union government has left them to fend for themselves. This is a betrayal of the farming community,” he said, demanding that the central government immediately restore subsidy support for complex fertilizers.

Farmers in need

Meanwhile, KPRS has strongly condemned the nationwide network of fertilizer dealers who are looting farmers and pushing agriculture into a deeper crisis. The organization noted that with the beginning of the sowing season, farmers are facing an acute shortage of fertilizers and are staging protests in several places against the companies and their local representatives for hoarding and selling on the black market.

“Agriculture is already in deep distress. With skyrocketing input costs and rising debt, every farm family is facing a huge financial burden. Governments – both at the Center and in the state – which are responsible for ensuring food security and welfare of farmers, must immediately withdraw policies that are squeezing the life out of the farming community,” said KPRS leader Sharanappa Pujari.

Many farmer leaders including Revanasiddappa Patil, Davu Birdar, Bhimsha Badadal and Siddu SL were present during the agitation.

Published – 09 Jun 2026 19:21 IST