Union minister Shivraj Chouhan on Wednesday directed officials to maintain seamless fertiliser supply, curb black marketing, expedite farmer IDs and enhance real-time monitoring through a dedicated special cell.Addressing a high-level review meeting here to take stock of the agriculture situation ahead of the upcoming Kharif season, he emphasised the need to ensure an equitable and uninterrupted supply of fertilizers. He directed officials to expedite the work on ‘Farmer IDs’ to make the distribution system transparent.He said he would soon hold a meeting with chief ministers and agriculture ministers of various states in this regard. Instructions have been issued to take strict action against those engaging in black marketing of fertilisers and seeds by taking advantage of the global crisis. Chouhan said state governments would also be encouraged to take stringent measures in this direction. The meeting also reviewed the availability of agro-chemicals and the essential gases required for drying seed.”There should be no shortage of packaging materials, particularly for milk and other agricultural products, amidst the global crisis. To ensure this, there is a need to coordinate with the Ministry of Petroleum and other relevant departments,” he said.The minister also announced a ‘Special Cell’ for round-the-clock monitoring of the agricultural sector. “This cell will submit a weekly report to me regarding the availability of fertilisers, seeds and pesticides,” he said.The review meeting comes in the wake of reports of a possible fertilizer crisis in the country, driven by West Asia geopolitical tensions disrupting imports of natural gas and finished nutrients. The crisis risks disrupting agricultural output, although the government is diversifying imports, encouraging organic alternatives, and utilizing existing stocks.Fertilisers exemplify the tight link between energy and food prices, underpinning harvests worldwide. The Middle East is a vital supplier, rich in both mineral reserves and the gas needed to produce nutrients for staples like corn, wheat and rice. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, shipments have ground to a halt as Iran, the US and Israel continue to exchange strikes on energy infrastructure.