PRAYAGRAJ, May 3 -- The agriculture department has started early preparations to ensure adequate fertiliser availability for the upcoming kharif cropping season, even while the current zaid season (the short intermediate agricultural season between rabi and kharif, running from March to June) is underway.

Although the kharif season typically begins in June, officials initiated advance planning. Pawan Kumar Vishwakarma, deputy director of agriculture in Prayagraj, said a district-level action plan is being prepared to maintain sufficient fertiliser supplies, which includes assessing likely demand and aligning supply arrangements.

As part of this process, monitoring committees have been constituted to inspect fertiliser dealers' stocks. T...