Officials said on Wednesday that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting an additional supply of 150,000 metric tonnes of urea and 150,000 metric tonnes of diammonium phosphate in July. According to the supply plan, just 57 percent of fertilisers were delivered to Chhattisgarh in June, posing a threat to Kharif cultivation.

Baghel claims that agriculture employs over 80% of the state’s population, and that the Kharif season, when crops are planted on roughly 4.8 million hectares, is crucial for the state.

“The Government of India has given the approval to meet the proposed demand of 1.175 million metric tonnes of fertilisers by the state of Chhattisgarh for the Kharif 2021 season but according to the demand and supply plan, fertilisers are not being supplied to the state. According to the supply plan in the month of June, only 57% fertiliser has been supplied,” said Baghel in his letter.