MP farmers store diesel in drums and tanks:Fear shortage due to Iran-US war, say wheat harvest depends on fuel

The wheat harvesting time is approaching, and farmers will definitely need diesel in any case. Due to the ongoing war, there are also rumors about diesel that supply will be stopped. If diesel is not available at that time, farmers will be ruined. That’s why we are stocking up on diesel in advance. Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are stocking diesel in drums and water tanks after rumours spread that fuel supply could be disrupted due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the US. Many farmers say they are buying and storing diesel worth lakhs of rupees, fearing it may not be available during the crucial wheat harvesting season. Shailendra Gurjar, a farmer from Narsinghpur, points to two large water tanks placed on his tractor while standing outside a petrol pump. He has come to fill diesel in these tanks. Not just him, several farmers from his village have also reached petrol pumps carrying water tanks and drums to store fuel. The panic buying is largely driven by rumours circulating on social media that the ongoing war could lead to a shortage of petrol and diesel in the coming days. The impact of these rumours appears stronger in rural areas of Madhya Pradesh than in cities. In some districts, the situation became so intense that diesel had to be distributed in queues, similar to fertiliser or ration distribution. Farmers fear that if the war continues for long and supply is disrupted, their wheat crop could be ruined in the fields. However, the government and administration have repeatedly assured that there is adequate fuel stock in the state and there is no real crisis. Dainik Bhaskar visited petrol pumps to check whether there is actually a shortage of fuel or if people are buying more than needed due to fear. The report also examines whether supply has changed and what the situation may be in the coming days. Now learn about the situation in all three districts systematically Pipariya: Farmers fear agricultural work will come to a halt In Pipariya of Narmadapuram district, farmers reached a Bharat petrol pump with tractors and trolleys carrying five extra tanks each. The crowd became so large that petrol pump operators had to ask people to form queues. Just like sacks are lined up outside fertiliser or government ration shops, people here placed their tanks and drums in a queue to get fuel one by one. Several farmers said they fear that if the supply suddenly stops, all agricultural work would come to a halt. Wheat harvesting and threshing are about to begin, and tractors and other machines depend entirely on diesel. Because of this fear, many farmers are already storing diesel in advance. Apart from farmers, motorcycle riders were also seen filling their tanks completely. Sehore-Ichhawar: Where four times more fuel was sold in one day The rumour spread quickly in Sehore and the Ichhawar area as well. Long queues of vehicles were seen at petrol pumps throughout the day. Car and bike owners were not only filling their vehicles but also carrying extra cans to store petrol. Petrol pump operators said that pumps which normally sell around 8,000 to 9,000 litres a day recorded sales of 38,000 to 39,000 litres in a single day. Reports that some nearby petrol pumps had run dry circulated on social media, which increased panic and pushed more people towards fuel stations. Farmer said – I’m buying diesel worth one lakh, it’s a matter of crops Farmer Shailendra Gurjar from Narsinghpur explained the situation more clearly. He arrived at a petrol pump with two large tanks on his tractor to fill diesel. He said rumours are spreading that diesel supply might stop due to the ongoing war. With wheat harvesting approaching, diesel is essential for farmers. “If diesel is not available at that time, farmers will be ruined. That is why we are storing diesel in advance,” he said, adding that many farmers like him are stocking diesel in drums and tanks to avoid future problems. City residents say – this panic is unnecessary In contrast, the situation in bigger cities like Bhopal remains normal. Residents here consider the issue to be merely a rumour. Dhananjay Singh, who came to refuel his vehicle in Bhopal, said there are many rumours about petrol and diesel prices rising or supply stopping. People are filling extra fuel on their own. “In my view, there is no need to panic. At most someone can store 10–20 litres; after that they will have to return to the petrol pump anyway,” he said. Administration says – Sufficient stock available, don’t pay attention to rumors In view of the rumors about petrol-diesel in these districts, the government and local administration immediately took action. SDM’s assurance in Pipariya: As soon as information about the deteriorating situation in Pipariya was received, SDM Akib Khan issued a press note clarifying that sufficient stock of diesel and petrol is available and people need not panic. Supply Department’s vigilance in Narsinghpur: Narsinghpur District Supply Officer Devendra Khobaria also said that there is no fuel shortage situation in the district. The administration has increased monitoring of petrol pumps and issued strict action directives against those involved in hoarding or black marketing. State Government’s Review: The Food and Civil Supplies Department held a high-level meeting with representatives of oil companies in the ministry. Additional Chief Secretary (Food) Rashmi Arun Shami informed that petrol, diesel and LPG are available in sufficient quantities in the state. Oil companies also confirmed that adequate stock of petroleum products is available as per current consumption. The government has made it clear that hoarding will not be tolerated at any cost. What do experts and associations say? Petrol Pump Association: According to Nakul Sharma, an operator associated with the Petrol Pump Association, ‘There is no shortage of diesel and petrol. Supply is running regularly and there is no information about low stock from above. This is just the result of rumors spread in rural areas.’ Economist’s Opinion: Dr. Mahipal Singh Yadav, professor at Economic Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, Bhopal says, ‘It is natural for tensions in Gulf countries to affect the oil market, but this does not mean that supply will stop immediately. India has sufficient import options and storage capacity. Panic buying often creates artificial shortages when there is no real crisis.’