The Telangana Government has asked the Union Government to sanction 7.7 lakh tonnes of urea for the upcoming Rabi season.
In a representation submitted to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Telangana Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said the State expected an increase in acreage in the Rabi due to good rains.
"We are expecting an increase of 8.5 lakh acres over the average 34 lakh acreage for Rabi in the State. Much of the additional acreage would go to paddy, requiring more urea," he said.
The State witnessed a massive shortage of urea in the kharif. Farmers' unions have criticised the State Government for improper planning. They alleged that the Government failed in assessing the demand and making stocks available.
After a dry spell in the initial period of kharif season, the State witnessed copious rains in September, triggering a huge demand for urea. The Government had to make contingency arrangements to meet the additional demand.
Keeping this in view, the State has decided to make sufficient stocks available for the rabi season.
"The Union Minister said the trial production at the Ramagundam Fertiliser Factory would commence in March 2020. He assured that fertilisers would be supplied to the Southern states from the plant," Niranjan Reddy has said in a statement.