Page 176 - CW E-Magazine (3-6-2025)

Special Report Special Report

Imbalance in use of fertilisers: A cause for concern bag of DAP for 2021-22. MRP of ratio, i.e., imbalance in use of nutrients, along with N in balanced proportion
DAP is now at Rs. 1,350 per 50 kg is a cause of concern. One of the major contributes to enhancing crop yields,
ertiliser is the most important of 1.53:1 and 0.56:1 in 1991-92. The DR. SURESH KUMAR CHAUDHARI bag. The same is the case for other reasons for such widening ratio is the improving nutrient use effi ciency &
input for agricultural develop- N:P O :K O use ratio, which was Director General NPs/NPKs. mammoth disparity in MRPs of P&K soil health, and bringing better returns
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Fment in the country. Realising 5.9:2.4:1 in 1991-92 got vitiated to The Fertiliser Association of India fertilisers with respect to urea. to farmers.
the need of fertiliser to improve farm 9.5:3.2:1 in 1992-93. E-mail: dg@faidelhi.org The DoF started announcing NBS
productivity, Government of India rates of nutrients on quarterly basis in The crop response to fertiliser Use of secondary and micro-nutrients
enacted Fertiliser (Control) Order Realising this dwindling N:P O :K O products consumed in the country, 2022-23 looking to the trend of prices application and soil health are on decline. will have added advantages wherever
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(FCO) in 1957 to regulate quality, sale use ratio, Government of India intro- was kept out of the ambit of NBS in the international market. To insulate It is not exaggerating to underscore defi ciencies are observed.
and price of fertilisers. Further, a com- duced ad-hoc concession from rabi policy. farmers from any hike in prices of that fertilisers are plant food and con-
prehensive revised Order was issued 1992-93 itself, followed by fi xed MRPs fi nished fertiliser products and raw tain essential nutrients in ionic forms, Well-calibrated approach imperative
in 1985 in supersession of FCO 1957 from 1997-98 till 2009-10 by covering While MRP of urea was enhanced materials in the international market in which are to be absorbed by the plants. The fertiliser industry has been res-
known as FCO 1985. the cost of production/import through by 10% from April 1, 2010, it conti- view of confl icts and disruptions and Average use of fertiliser in terms of ponsibly catering to the need of the
subsidy. MRPs on DAP varied from nues to remain a depressed price, thus to make these fertilisers available to nutrients was 150 kg/ha in 2023-24. farmers to make fertilisers available
Fertiliser pricing Rs. 8,300 per tonne to Rs. 9,350 per tonne encouraging farmers to make use of farmers at affordable MRPs, the Govern- There are many countries where con- to them across the country by indi-
Government also brought out a and MOP from Rs. 3,700 per tonne to more urea at the cost of P&K fertili- ment of India came to the rescue by sumption of nutrients through fertili- genous production/import and logistics
Retention Price Scheme (RPS) for Rs. 4,455 per tonne during 1997-98 and sers. The industry was allowed to enhancing the subsidy during 2021-22 sers has been noticeably high compared planning. Industry is making efforts
urea effective from November 1977 2009-10, as fi xed by the Government. increase MRP of DAP from Rs. 9,350 and 2022-23. to India and so is the case of average for development and use of innovative
and for complex fertilisers w.e.f. The same were the trends in MRPs of per tonne in 2009-10 to Rs. 9,950 per yields of crops. fertilisers having better nutrient use
February 1979. The basic objective other P&K fertilisers. Corresponding tonne during April-December 2010 It may not be out of place to high- effi ciency.
of the scheme was to make fertilisers fi gures for urea were Rs. 3,660 per tonne and Rs. 10,750 per tonne for January- light that subsidy ratio of P&K fertili- Regional variations
available to farmers at affordable and Rs. 4830 per tonne. As the price March 2011. In view of decline in sers to urea had come down from In India, there are interstate and However, a judicious and well-
MRPs by bearing the difference in ratios of DAP to urea and MOP to urea subsidy component after 2010-11, 1.61:1 in 2009-10 to 0.44:1 in 2024-25, intercrop variations in use pattern of calibrated approach is imperative
cost of manufacturing and the MRPs were fairly good at 1.94:1 and 0.92:1, there had been increase in MRPs of signifying considerable contribution fertilisers. Per hectare consumption of to rationalise fertiliser application,
as subsidy and to ensure indigenous respectively in 2009-10, the N:P O :K O P&K fertilisers to cover the cost of of P&K fertilisers in saving subsidy fertiliser nutrients varies from less than thereby optimizing resource utilisa-
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fertiliser manufacturers a reasonable ratio returned to a reasonable level of production/import. For example, sub- outgo of the Government, but at what 1-kg in Nagaland to 255-kg in Andhra tion and ensuring maximum benefi t to
return on their investments. A number of 4.3:2.0:1. sidy on DAP declined from Rs.16,268 cost? There has been increase in subsidy Pradesh. There are certain states in farmers.
plants came into existence in 1980s. per tonne in 2010-11 to Rs. 10,231 on urea by 4.84 times and only 1.33 which N:P O :K O use ratio is quite
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However, the cost of production Nutrient Based Subsidy policy per tonne in 2020-21. times on P&K fertilisers from 2009-10 wide. More impetus is required in the Shuffl ing subsidies
continued to rise and the MRPs of To bring reforms in the sector, to 2024-25. There was only 10% states where fertiliser consumption In conclusion, it has to be under-
fertilisers were kept at the same level. Government of India introduced the From 2021-22, the Department increase in MRP of urea effective from is low to enhance consumption and lined that subsidy on urea needs to
Therefore, there had been substantial Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) policy of Fertilisers (DoF) enhanced the April 1, 2010. However, there has improve the use ratio where it is more be brought down and subsidy saving
increase in subsidy. on P&K fertilisers from April 1, 2010. NBS rates on P O component from not been any increase in MRP of in favour of N. on this account should be provided
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Under the policy, subsidy on per kg Rs. 14.888 per kg in 2020-21 to urea since then, except an increase of to P&K fertilisers to maintain appro-
Government of India then formed a of nutrient was fi xed and MRPs were Rs. 45.323 per kg in 2021-22. The Rs. 50 per tonne from November 1, Productivity impacts priate balance between the MRPs of
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on made market driven. Urea, constitut- DoF directed the companies to have 2012 on account of acknowledgement The compound annual growth rate urea and P&K fertilisers for the farmers,
fertiliser pricing in 1991. On the basis of ing more than 50% of the fertiliser a fixed MRP of Rs. 1,200 per 50 kg of receipt of fertilisers through Point- in productivity of rice and wheat from enabling them to apply fertilisers in
recommendations of the JPC, phosphatic of-Sale machines by the retailers. MRP 2009-10 to 2023-24 works out to be balanced proportion.
and potassic (P&K) fertilisers were ratio of DAP to urea and MOP to urea only 2.2% and 1.6%, respectively.
decontrolled from August 25, 1992 and was 5.04:1 and 5.69:1, respectively in There is no scope in expansion of culti- Further, bringing urea under domain
later import was decanalised. As the 2024-25. The considerable reduction vated area. Further increase in agricul- of NBS policy will promote balanced
cost of production was to be borne by in subsidy on MOP, is affecting its tural production will only be possible fertilisation.
the farmers, a steep increase in MRPs consumption, which is vital for plant through enhancement in average yields
resulted in decline in consumption of metabolism. The result is widening of of crops. Implementation of Direct Benefi t
these fertilisers. This signifi ed that price N:P O :K O use ratio over the years Transfer of subsidy in the bank account
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elasticity of demand for fertilisers is very in NBS regime and it was 9.3:3.5:1 It is well proved by long-term of farmers in true sense will give freedom
strong among the farmers. in 2024-25. fertiliser experiments conducted at to farmers to choose products in line with
research institutes of Indian Council balanced nutrient application.
MRP of DAP to urea distorted to Mammoth disparity in MRPs of Agricultural Research, Agricul-
2.41:1 and MOP to urea to 1.63:1 in From the above discussions, it tural Universities and others con- [Indian Journal of Fertilisers, 21 (5):
1992-93, from the respective fi gures emerges that widening N:P O :K O use cerned that application of P and K 414-415, May 2025]
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176 Chemical Weekly June 3, 2025 Chemical Weekly June 3, 2025 177

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