The urea production at Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited came to a halt on August 14 owing to reported pipeline leakages.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Amid burgeoning demand for urea in the current kharif season, the temporary suspension of urea production at the Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) due to reported technical snags prompted vociferous demands from the ruling Congress leaders for urgent steps by the Centre to tide over the shortage of the fertilizer.
The urea production at the RFCL came to a halt on August 14 owing to reported pipeline leakages. Inspection of the pipelines is ongoing and the urea production is expected to be restored in a couple of days, sources said.
RFCL commenced its commercial production on March 22, 2021. It was taken up by the Government of India to provide adequate and timely availability of urea at affordable prices to the farmers for maximising agricultural production in the country. The design capacity of urea plant is 3,850 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) and ammonia plant is 2,200 MTPD.
The gas-based plant is engaged in production of ammonia and prilled urea catering to the fertilizer requirements of farmers in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
The RFCL officials could not be reached for their comment over the exact reason for temporary shutdown of the urea production and the tentative date of restoration of urea production.
Ramagundam MLA Makkan Singh Raj Thakur flagged concerns over the alleged recurring technical snags at the RFCL ‘impacting’ urea production at the crucial kharif sowing season.
Speaking to The Hindu, he said, “Telangana has provided land, water, power, coal and other infrastructure facilities for the RFCL. Telangana is entitled to get 50% of the total urea produced at the RFCL. But this commitment has not been honoured yet.”
Making matters worse for our farmers, the halt to urea production at RFCL due to technical reasons in the peak sowing season further aggravated the scarcity of urea in the State, he said, deploring that not even 20% of the total produced urea was given to Telangana in the ongoing kharif season.
He added that the situation warrants urgent supply of additional urea from the stock being imported by the Centre to meet the demand for the fertilizer in the State to safeguard farmers’ interests.
Telangana Rythu Sangham Khammam district secretary Bonthu Rambabu said scores of farmers waited for their turn in long queues for several hours to get urea at the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACSs) and various fertilizer shops in Khammam district on Monday, but in vain.
The scarcity of urea forced them to return to their homes disappointed, he said, alleging that the Centre is showing discrimination against Telangana in supply of adequate urea due to political reasons.
Published – August 18, 2025 08:15 pm IST
