Lok Sabha Question No. 3646 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-08
Subject: Fertilizer Requirements
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: R. VANAROJA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3646

TO BE ANSWERED ON

: 08.08.2017

## FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS

## 3646. SHRIMATI VANAROJA R.:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the fertilizer requirement has been pegged at 320 lakh tonne in a year;
- (b) whether it is  true  that    the  annual  fertilizer  production  from  operating  fertilizer plants is likely to be ramped up from 225 lakh tonne to 245 lakh tonne without additional investment;
- (c) whether neem coating of urea is likely to raise fertilizer efficiency and reduce consumption by 32 lakh tonne per year; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF  ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS, SHIPPING AND CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## (SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

(a) & (b):  Madam, the requirement of all subsidised chemical fertilizers is assessed by Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) in consultation with  States/  UTs  before  the  start  of  each  Season  and  Department  of  Fertilizers ensures availability as per the projection.

In  the  last  three  years  i.e  during  2014-15,  2015-16  &  2016-17,  projected requirement and sales of fertilizers is as follows:

## <Figures in LMT>

| Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   | Cumulative Requirement and Sales of Fertilizers during the year 2014-15 to 2016- 17   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                                  | UREA                                                                                  | UREA                                                                                  | DAP                                                                                   | DAP                                                                                   | MOP                                                                                   | MOP                                                                                   | NPK                                                                                   | NPK                                                                                   |
| Year                                                                                  | Requ.                                                                                 | Sales                                                                                 | Requ.                                                                                 | Sales                                                                                 | Requ.                                                                                 | Sales                                                                                 | Requ.                                                                                 | Sales                                                                                 |
| 2014-15                                                                               | 306.71                                                                                | 308.74                                                                                | 95.94                                                                                 | 75.57                                                                                 | 30.26                                                                                 | 27.80                                                                                 | 99.81                                                                                 | 85.98                                                                                 |
| 2015-16                                                                               | 313.35                                                                                | 319.68                                                                                | 102.34                                                                                | 97.47                                                                                 | 36.08                                                                                 | 24.23                                                                                 | 105.89                                                                                | 92.68                                                                                 |
| 2016-17                                                                               | 289.09                                                                                | 296.07                                                                                | 100.57                                                                                | 88.23                                                                                 | 33.36                                                                                 | 28.21                                                                                 | 102.58                                                                                | 86.58                                                                                 |

The Government of India has notified the New Urea Policy (NUP) - 2015 on 25 th May,  2015  for  existing  25  gas  based  urea  units  with  the  objectives  of  maximizing indigenous  urea  production;  promoting  energy  efficiency  in  urea  production;  and rationalizing  subsidy  burden  on  the  government.  NUP-2015  has  led  to  additional production of approximately 20 LMT in the year 2015-16 as compared to 2014-15 from the  existing  gas  based  urea  plants  without  any  additional  investment  and  the  total production of urea during the year 2015-16 was 244.5 LMT, i.e. the highest ever urea production  in  the  country.  The  indigenous  urea  production  for  2016-17  is  242.01 LMT.

(c) & (d):    In order to increase the use efficiency of Urea, the Government of India has specified  Neem  Coated  Urea  (NCU)  in  the  Fertilizer  Control  Order,  1985.  The  use efficiency  of  NCU  is  5-10%  higher  than  the  plain  urea.  Department  of  Agriculture, Cooperation  &  Farmers  Welfare  (DAC&FW)  was  entrusted  to  conduct  a  study  to determine  the  impact of  Neem  Coated  Urea.  The  interim  report  prepared  by Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Centre (ADRTC), Bengaluru has been  submitted  by  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare (DACFW). The brief findings of the study are as follows:

- i. Improvement in soil health.
- ii. Reduction in costs with respect to plant protection chemicals.
- iii. Reduction in pest and disease attack.
- iv. An increase in yield of paddy, sugarcane, Maize, Soybean and Tur/Red Gram to an extent of 5.79%, 17.5%, 7.14%, 7.4% and 16.88% respectively.

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