Umerkote: This year, due to shortage of urea fertiliser, the rush of farmers at government fertiliser sales centres is becoming unbearable. On Tuesday, the situation became so dire that farmers blocked State Highway 39 in Umerkote for nine hours with paddy plants. As a result, vehicular movement between Umerkote and Nabarangpur was disrupted. The farmers said they would not lift the blockade till urea fertiliser is provided to them.

Sources said 1,700 quintals of urea fertiliser was received for distribution in Umerkote block on Saturday. Besides, 600 bags of urea was received at Umerkote LAMPS. Seeing such a huge rush of about 1,300 farmers who had come to buy fertiliser, the LAMPS authorities started distributing it with the help of the police.

However, after a few farmers bought the fertiliser, the distribution was stopped as farmers forced their way into the LAMPS office. On Tuesday too, the same situation arose and it was not possible for the LAMPS authorities to distribute 600 bags of fertiliser to around 1,300 farmers. The distribution was stopped leading to the road blockade by the farmers.

The farmers alleged that the district has already received more than its quota of fertiliser. Some unscrupulous traders are hoarding fertiliser to sell it in the black market, they said.

Earlier, tokens were issued to 1,300 farmers, but only 600 bags of fertiliser were left in the LAMPS (Large-Area Multipurpose Service Cooperative Societies). After the remaining 700 bags of fertiliser were brought from dealers in the area and supplied to the farmers, the road blockade was lifted.