Assam: Corrupt nexus manipulates UREA prices in Dhubri, farmers suffer

An unholy alliance between the Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board, Dhubri Unit (ASAMB), and an unauthorized organization known as the Dhubri District Retailers Fertilisers Association has emerged, causing concerns for farmers in the region.

The Dhubri District Retailers Fertilisers Association, suspected of lacking legal retailers, has been implicated in a sophisticated scheme of fraud and price-fixing related to urea distribution in the Dhubri district.

Initially, the ASAMB's Dhubri district unit in Gauripur was responsible for supplying urea to retailers across the district. However, after the initial allotment of urea was received by the Dhubri fertilizer retailers from ASAMB on December 7, 2022, the ASAMB failed to continue the supply. 

Illegally, the requirement was transferred to the Dhubri District Retailers Fertilisers Association, under the leadership of Abdul Ajiz Sheikh and Miraj Ahmed respectively.

Since then, this association has gained indirect control over the urea supply, restricting access to the market for retailers who are not part of their unapproved organization. It has been reported that they even issued warnings to stores, stating that they would not receive any urea until they joined the association.

The influence of the association has rapidly expanded, enabling them to manipulate urea prices in the area. They have handpicked presidents and secretaries for each of the 13 blocks constituting the Dhubri District.

Government regulations mandate that retailers sell urea at a fixed price of Rs 266 per bag. However, Dhubri merchants are allegedly purchasing urea from the Dhubri District unit of ASAMB at Rs 235.54 per bag.

Moreover, it is alleged that Abdul Ajiz Sheikh and Miraj Ahmed's association charges an additional Rs 38 per bag for the delivery of urea from Bongaigaon to Dhubri, without any proper documentation or bill.

As a result of this unfair pricing mechanism, retailers find themselves unable to sell urea at the government-fixed price, facing immense pressure and jeopardizing their ability to sustain their businesses within the regulated system.

When approached for clarification, Jagadish Roy, the District Fertilizer Depot Manager of Assam State Marketing Board, Dhubri Unit (ASAMB), while speaking to India Today NE  failed to provide a comprehensive explanation. He claimed that such a nexus operates throughout the state to reduce their workload. However, several retailers have alleged that Jagadish Roy, along with other officials, are suspected to be involved with the Dhubri District Retailers Fertilisers Association and are illicitly orchestrating widespread corruption in the distribution of government-allotted urea to the retailers.