Bhubaneswar, Sept 10: Accusing the BJP-led Odisha government of failing to ensure adequate fertiliser supply to farmers, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday announced a protest near Raj Bhavan on September 15.
The announcement came a day after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi claimed that there is no shortage of fertilisers for the ongoing Kharif season in the state. However, BJD leaders strongly rejected the Chief Minister’s assertion, accusing the government of misleading farmers, who make up over 70% of Odisha's population.
Speaking at a press conference in Bhubaneswar, BJD vice-president Sanjay Das Burma said, “We are demanding immediate and adequate supply of fertilisers. Any further delay will severely impact Kharif crop cultivation.”
Das Burma also presented data to highlight the wide gap between demand and supply across various districts.
He alleged that despite shortfall, the government continues to claim that fertiliser stocks are sufficient, which he called "false and misleading."
On Thursday, the Chief Minister’s Office had issued a statement saying that Odisha's total requirement of 9.55 lakh metric tonnes of fertilisers for the 2025 Kharif season (up to September 30) had been fully allocated by the central government.
However, Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik criticised the BJP government for its “careless attitude”, which she said had worsened the crisis. She noted that former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister J.P. Nadda, seeking intervention, but no meaningful follow-up occurred.
