Farmers have expressed concern that summer cultivation could be affected as fertiliser prices rise in the wake of the US-Iran war. With costs climbing, many cultivators are hesitant to begin sowing and are looking for alternatives such as cattle manure and compost.
According to farmers, the conflict has created hurdles in importing fertilisers, while shortages of raw materials have also reduced output at domestic fertiliser manufacturing units. The combined impact has led to a sharp increase in the prices of chemical fertilisers.
Prices of key products have reportedly gone up: potash from Rs 1,850 to Rs 2,250, bactambas from Rs 1,750 to Rs 2,150, complex fertiliser from Rs 1,550 to Rs 2,200, and ammonium sulphate from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400.
Pesticide prices have also increased, adding to the burden of applying basal fertiliser, top dressing and crop protection sprays. Farmers who have already completed summer ploughing say they are now reluctant to cultivate crops such as cotton, green gram, black gram, maize, sorghum and pearl millet, warning that the cultivated area could fall sharply this season.
Some farmers said they had kept fields ready for sowing but may skip farming this year due to the steep rise in fertiliser and pesticide costs. They added that profits were already thin, and cultivating despite the price rise could lead to heavy losses.
