The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has strongly countered Punjab's urea shortage claims, asserting that the state has adequate fertilizer stocks. According to the Department of Fertilizers (DoF), Punjab's urea inventory remains comfortably above requirements for the Kharif 2026 season. Against a pro-rata requirement of 9.0 lakh metric tonnes up to June 9, the Centre claims to have ensured total availability of 10.71 lakh metric tonnes. Out of this quantity, actual urea sales in the state have reached 6.25 lakh metric tonnes, leaving a closing stock of 4.46 lakh metric tonnes readily available for farmers. In addition, another 39,167 metric tonnes, equivalent to 0.39 lakh metric tonnes, is currently in transit to Punjab and expected to reach distribution points shortly.
Officials attribute the healthy stock position to aggressive pre-positioning efforts undertaken before the start of the Kharif season. Between January and March 2026, Punjab's estimated requirement was 3.50 lakh metric tonnes, but the Department supplied 6.08 lakh metric tonnes, creating an additional buffer of 2.58 lakh metric tonnes ahead of peak demand months. Data also show that urea consumption has increased significantly this year. Between March 1 and June 9, 2026, urea sales in Punjab touched 7.86 lakh metric tonnes, compared with 7.10 lakh metric tonnes during the corresponding period last year, reflecting an increase of 0.76 lakh metric tonnes. The trend follows an unusually high offtake during the Rabi 2025-26 season.
Despite the Centre's claims of adequate stocks, widespread protests by farmers were held on June 8 over alleged urea shortages. The agitation, organised by the All India Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (AIKMM), was held across 74 locations in 22 districts of Punjab as part of a nationwide campaign covering five states. Farmer leaders alleged that urea was either unavailable or being sold through black-marketing channels at inflated prices. They also accused some fertilizer dealers of compelling farmers to purchase nano urea as a precondition for obtaining conventional urea. During the agitation, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that cultivators were facing difficulties in securing adequate quantities of urea despite the commencement of paddy transplantation in several districts. He demanded immediate government intervention to ensure the availability of subsidised fertilizer at fair prices.
The Centre pointed out that paddy transplantation has not yet fully commenced across the state and that existing stocks are sufficient to meet current demand. In Amritsar district alone, total urea availability during the Kharif season has reached 64,720 metric tonnes, with a balance stock of nearly 33,000 metric tonnes still available. Punjab's total urea requirement for the Kharif 2026 season has been estimated at 14.50 lakh metric tonnes. The Centre further noted that with paddy cultivated on nearly 30 lakh hectares in Punjab and requiring approximately 15 lakh tonnes of urea during the season, ensuring smooth last-mile distribution will be critical. The Centre and the state government are expected to closely monitor supplies in the coming weeks as transplantation activity accelerates across the state's major rice-growing districts.
