‘They Want To See India In Crisis': Modi Takes Dig At Opposition Over Fertiliser Shortage Claims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Opposition of spreading rumours about fertiliser and cooking gas shortages amid the war in West Asia, saying his government had shielded farmers from rising international fertiliser prices.

Addressing a gathering in Banaskantha during a two-day visit to Gujarat, Modi said his government had absorbed the additional costs instead of passing them on to farmers. He also laid foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹14,000 crore and released the 24th instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme.

Modi began the day with a roadshow in Banaskantha before addressing the gathering. Referring to the uncertainty caused by the conflict in West Asia, he accused his political opponents of attempting to portray India as being in crisis.

“These are the people who want to see the country in crisis. They feel happy when they see the country in crisis,” Modi added.

Modi On Fertiliser Prices

Modi cited the difference between international and domestic fertiliser prices to argue that farmers had been protected from the impact of rising global costs.

“One bag of urea costs ₹3,000 in the international market, but Indian farmers get it for less than one-tenth of that price, or under ₹300 a bag,” he said.

He also compared the international price of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), which he said was ₹5,000 per bag, with the ₹1,350 charged to Indian farmers.

The prime minister said the government was bearing the additional expenditure to prevent farmers from facing higher input costs.

“ In recent years, thanks to our government’s policies, farmers have received or saved more than ₹50 lakh crore,” Modi said, referring to five government schemes. He added that nearly ₹4.5 lakh crore had been transferred directly to the bank accounts of small farmers under the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme.

Gujarat's Agricultural And Dairy Economy

Modi also highlighted developments in Gujarat's agricultural and dairy sectors, citing improvements in honey production, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries.

He said honey production had doubled over the past 12 years under the government's Sweet Revolution initiative. He also referred to a woman who earns ₹35 lakh from selling honey.

Speaking about Banaskantha's agricultural economy, Modi highlighted the region's potato production and referred to the inauguration of a French fries manufacturing plant, which he said would benefit farmers. He also mentioned crop clusters for tomatoes, potatoes, chillies, pomegranates and cocoa.

On animal husbandry, Modi said milk production had increased and highlighted vaccination efforts against cattle diseases.

“More than 1.5 billion doses of vaccination have been administered against cattle diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, covering over 80 million farmers,” he said.

He also called for greater use of cow dung to generate additional income through biogas and bio-CNG. Referring to a woman he had met earlier in the day, Modi said she earned ₹2 crore from selling milk despite having studied only up to Class 4.

The prime minister further said India's seafood production had more than doubled and that science and technology were being increasingly integrated into agriculture and animal husbandry.

MSP, Crop Insurance And Farmer Support

Modi also criticised previous governments over their handling of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), accusing them of making promises to farmers without fulfilling them.

Contrasting this with his government's record, he said wheat and paddy farmers had received ₹24 lakh crore through MSP over the past 12 years.

He also cited compensation paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, claiming that farmers had received more than ₹2 lakh crore over the past 10-12 years.

Highlighting the government's push for solar-powered irrigation, Modi said 1.2 million solar pumps had been provided to farmers, reducing their dependence on diesel. He added that farmers could earn additional income by selling surplus electricity.

He also said more than 260 million soil health cards had been issued and nearly 3,000 new seed varieties introduced to address the challenges posed by climate change.

Bovine Breeding Centre Inaugurated

During the Gujarat visit, Modi inaugurated the 127-acre Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre at Bhildi. He described it as the country's first Centre of Excellence dedicated to the indigenous Kankrej cattle breed.

He said the broader objective was to improve cattle productivity so that the milk currently produced by four cows could eventually be obtained from a single cow.

Other projects announced during the visit included metro extensions, road-widening works and Anganwadi centres.

Modi also announced a change in the timing of National Unity Day celebrations, or Ekta Parv, which mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He said the celebrations, traditionally held on the morning of October 31, would now take place in the evening.

The prime minister is scheduled to attend programmes marking the 151st birth anniversary of Patel on October 31 as part of the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations.