Centre asks states to check fertiliser hoarding; assures agri inputs, seeds for Kharif

New Delhi: Amid the West Asia conflict impacting the supply of LNG and other fertiliser inputs, the Centre on Wednesday said the country has adequate stocks of seeds and agro-chemicals for the upcoming Kharif season and urged states to strictly check hoarding and black marketing of fertilisers.

The Union Secretaries of the Ministries of Agriculture and Fertilizers held a meeting with state secretaries on March 30 to review the situation. States were directed to ensure last-mile availability of key agricultural inputs, Additional Secretary Maninder Kaur Dwivedi told reporters here.

"States were also requested to launch a special drive to prevent hoarding, black marketing, cross-border smuggling, and diversion of fertilisers for non-agricultural use," she said.

The total requirement of fertilisers for the Kharif season is estimated at 390.54 lakh tonnes. With an opening stock of 180 lakh tonnes — which accounts for 46 per cent of the total requirement — the availability is considered fairly comfortable, she added.

The total estimated requirement of seeds for Kharif 2026 is 166.46 lakh quintals, while the availability stands at 185.74 lakh quintals, resulting in a surplus of 19.29 lakh quintals. Dwivedi said the availability of seeds for major crops is sufficient across all states.

Regarding agro-chemicals (pesticides), she confirmed that sufficient quantities are available. On prices, Dwivedi said wholesale prices of inputs are being closely monitored and remain within the normal range seen in previous years.