Lok Sabha Question No. 902 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-26
Subject: Availability of Urea and other Fertilizers
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri K E Prakash

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

## LOK SABHA

UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 902 TO BE ANSWERED

ON: 26.07.2024

## AVAILABILITY OF UREA AND OTHER FERTILIZERS

902:  SHRI. K. E. PRAKASH

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

- (a) the current status of the availability of urea and other fertilizers across the State of Tamil Nadu particularly in rural and remote areas;
- (b) whether the Government has taken/proposes to take any steps to control hike in price of urea and other fertilizers;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the factors contributing to the said price hike; and
- (d) the mechanism put in place to ensure sufficient and timely supply of urea and other fertilizers  to  meet  the  demands  of  farmers,  especially  during  peak  agricultural seasons in the country?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

## (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a):    The availability of Urea and other fertilizers in the state of Tamil Nadu during the ongoing Kharif 2024 season (as on 21.07.2024) has been comfortable as per the table given below:

| POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   | POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   | POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   | POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   | POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   | POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   | POSITION OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL NADU DURING KHARIF 2024   |
|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fig. in LMT                                                | Fig. in LMT                                                | Fig. in LMT                                                | Fig. in LMT                                                | Fig. in LMT                                                | Fig. in LMT                                                | Fig. in LMT                                                |
| S. No.                                                     | Product                                                    | Seasonal Requirement for KHARIF 2024                       | Pro-rata Requirement From 01/04/2024 to 21/07/2024         | Availability From 01/04/2024 to 21/07/2024                 | Cumulative DBT Sales From 01/04/2024 to 21/07/2024         | Closing Stock as on 21/07/2024                             |
| 1                                                          | UREA                                                       | 4.91                                                       | 2.60                                                       | 4.73                                                       | 2.73                                                       | 2.00                                                       |
| 2                                                          | DAP                                                        | 1.40                                                       | 0.79                                                       | 0.98                                                       | 0.54                                                       | 0.44                                                       |
| 3                                                          | MOP                                                        | 1.04                                                       | 0.59                                                       | 0.77                                                       | 0.40                                                       | 0.37                                                       |
| 4                                                          | NPKS                                                       | 4.54                                                       | 2.53                                                       | 4.26                                                       | 1.96                                                       | 2.30                                                       |

Further,  the  mandate  of  Department  of  Fertilizers  is  to  ensure  comfortable availability of fertilizers at state level. However, the distribution of fertilizers within the State, particularly in the rural and remote areas of the state, comes under the purview of respective State governments.

(b) & (c)   Urea is provided to the farmers at a statutorily notified Maximum Retail Price (MRP).  The  MRP  of  45  kg  bag  of  Urea  is  Rs.242  per  bag  (exclusive  of  charges towards  neem  coating  and  taxes  as  applicable).  Besides,  Government  of  India  has laid down reasonable guidelines for P&K fertilizers which ensure that P&K fertilizers are  available  at  reasonable  prices  to  farmers.  Accordingly,  all  farmers  are  being supplied fertilizers at the subsidized rates.

(d):        The  following  steps  are  taken  by  the  Government  every  season  for  ensuring timely  and  adequate  supply  of  Urea  and  other  fertilizers  to  meet  the  demands  of farmers, especially during peak agricultural seasons in the country:

- i. Before  the  commencement  of  each  cropping  season,  Department  of Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare  (DA&FW),  in  consultation  with  all  the State Governments, assesses the state-wise & month-wise requirement of fertilizers.
- ii. On  the basis of requirement projected, Department of Fertilizers allocates sufficient/ adequate quantities of fertilizers to States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability.
- iii. The movement of all major subsidized fertilizers is monitored throughout the country by an on-line web based monitoring system called integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System (iFMS);
- iv. Regular Weekly Video Conference is conducted jointly by DA&FW and DoF with State Agriculture Officials and corrective actions are taken to dispatch fertilizers as indicated by the State Governments.
- v. The gap between demand (requirement) and production of fertilizers is met through imports. The import for the season is also finalized well in advance to ensure timely availability.

********