Amaravati, July 30 : YSR Congress Party MP Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose has appealed to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister J.P. Nadda to urgently address the severe "shortage" of urea in Andhra Pradesh during the peak Kharif season.

In a letter, the Rajya Sabha member highlighted that although the state was allocated 1.30 lakh tonnes of urea for July, many districts were still suffering from an acute shortage.

He explained that the crisis had deepened due to limited fortnightly allotments, the closure of the National Fertilizers Corporation Limited (NFCL) unit in Kakinada, and the failure of the Ramagundam plant in Telangana to meet Andhra Pradesh's needs.

Farmers in districts like Srikakulam, Kurnool, and parts of Rayalaseema were reportedly facing long queues, restricted purchase limits, and deep distress, especially among small and marginal farmers.

Bose also mentioned reports from civil society and local media, which revealed serious issues in distribution such as delayed dispatches, poor staffing at retail outlets, and failure in last-mile delivery.

He said raids had exposed hoarding activities, with over Rs 10 crore worth of fertiliser seized recently.

The MP requested the Union Minister to take immediate steps, including speeding up the remaining July-August supply, reconsidering the closure of the Kakinada NFCL unit, deploying mobile vans in affected mandals, and strengthening real-time stock monitoring. He said timely intervention was crucial to protect rural livelihoods and prevent damage to the current agricultural season.

Last week, TDP MPs led by TDP Parliamentary Party Leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu met Nadda and sought an immediate solution to the urea crisis in Andhra Pradesh.

The MP mentioned that as per the July 2025 Kharif Supply Plan, the Department of Fertilisers had allocated 1.30 lakh tonnes of urea to Andhra Pradesh.

However, by July 18, only 49,485 tonnes had reached the state, including material in transit, leaving a shortfall of 80,515 tonnes.

/IANS