Kodikunnil Suresh, Member of Parliament, raised the critical issue of shortage of Urea and Potash (MOP) fertilizers during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on 11 December 2025, drawing the attention of the Union Government to the severe difficulties faced by farmers in Kerala, particularly in the Kuttanad region, which is highly dependent on timely fertilizer supply for paddy cultivation during the Rabi season.
Highlighting Kuttanad’s unique agro-ecological conditions and its status as the rice bowl of Kerala, the MP warned that any delay or disruption in fertilizer availability would directly affect crop yield, farmers’ income, and food security. He demanded immediate corrective steps to ensure uninterrupted and equitable supply at the grassroots level.
In a written reply dated 30 January 2026, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda stated that fertilizer requirements are assessed before every cropping season in consultation with State Governments and allocations are made based on month-wise and State-wise projections.
As per data provided by the Ministry, at the All-India level, during Rabi 2025–26 (up to 20 January 2026), Urea availability was 183.81 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) against a pro-rata requirement of 148.28 LMT, with a closing stock of 37.32 LMT. For MOP, availability stood at 14.58 LMT against a requirement of 11.02 LMT, leaving a closing stock of 6.86 LMT.
For Kerala, the Minister informed that against a seasonal Urea requirement of 62,000 metric tonnes (MT), the pro-rata requirement up to 20 January 2026 was 46,315 MT, while 52,000 MT had already been supplied, with a closing stock of 14,160 MT. In the case of MOP, against a seasonal requirement of 50,000 MT, 45,180 MT was made available against a pro-rata requirement of 36,754 MT, leaving a closing stock of 16,780 MT.
The Minister clarified that the distribution of fertilizers within the State, including district-level allocation to farming regions like Kuttanad, is the responsibility of the State Government. He further assured that the Department of Fertilizers is maintaining close monitoring of availability, sales, and stock position and has instructed officials to resolve any supply-related issues on a top-priority basis.
Responding to the assurance, Kodikunnil Suresh MP emphasized that aggregate allocation figures must translate into real-time availability at the farm gate, especially in vulnerable and paddy-dependent regions like Kuttanad, and called for stricter monitoring to prevent bottlenecks, delays, and artificial scarcity during peak agricultural operations.
