Lok Sabha Question No. 1417 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-10
Subject: Nano Urea Manufactured by IFFCO
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Raksha Nikhil Khadse

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1417 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 10.02.2023

## Nano urea manufactured by IFFCO

## 1417:  SHRI. MANOJ KOTAK AND OTHERS:

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

- (a) whether the Government  proposes  usage  of  nano  urea developed and manufactured  by  Indian  Farmers  Fertilizer  Cooperative  Limited  (IFFCO)  and  if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  details  on  the  benefits  of  strategic  application  of  nano  fertilisers  in  the country;
- (c) whether the usage of such urea is more effective than the granular urea;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether it is true that at present, the only approved nano fertilizer is IFFCO Nano Urea;
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  production capacity of nano urea in the IFFCO plant in Kalol, Gujarat;
- (g) whether  the  Government  has  considered  any  other  chemical  fertilizers  to  be converted into nano fertilizers for future use; and
- (h) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

(a) to (d) : Nano Urea developed by IFFCO has been provisionally included in Fertilizer Control  Order  (FCO)-1985,  based  on  the  experimental  trials  undertaken  in  several Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)/State  Agricultural  Universities.  Two Nano urea spray as top dressing along with the recommended basal dose of nitrogen. The  results  gave  comparable  yield  to  that  of  recommended  dose  of  fertilizers.  On account of higher nutrient content and use efficiency, it can reduce the cost of fertilizer.

Nano Fertilizers hold great promise for application in plant nourishment because of the size-dependent qualities, high surface-volume ratio and unique optical properties. Nano  fertilizer  releases  plant  nutrients  in  a  controlled  manner  contributing  to  higher nutrient use efficiency.

At  various  forums the  state  were  advised  to  encourage  its  use. Also  the State were also requested to assess the requirement of nano urea. All India demand of nano Urea, furnished by States and UTs for Rabi 2022-23 season is 19855060 (number of bottles of 500 ml each).

(e) to (f): Overall, three Nano Urea plants at Kalol (Capacity: 5 crore bottles of 200 ml each per year), Phulpur and Aonla have been set up by IFFCO. Further, Department of Fertilizers is encouraging its PSUs for setting up Nano Urea plants. National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF), under administrative control of Department of Fertilizers, has signed Non-Disclosure Agreement  (NDA)  &  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  with  Indian  Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO) to transfer the technology of Nano Urea from IFFCO.

(g) & (h): Keeping in view the importance of nano fertilizers, Government of India has notified guidelines for inclusion of these fertilizers in Fertilizer Control Order,1985. Any proposal,  as  and  when  received  from  manufacturers  of  nano  fertilizers,  would  be considered for inclusion of specifications of these fertilizers based on these guidelines. Some proposals for inclusion of Nano DAP have been considered.

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