Lok Sabha Question No. 1927 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-06
Subject: Alternative to DAP Fertilizer
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

## DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1927 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 06.12.2024

## Alternative to DAP Fertilizer

1927: DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY :

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

- (a) the  reasons  for  the  ongoing  shortage  of  Diammonium  Phosphate  (DAP) fertilizer in the country;
- (b) whether the shortage of DAP has impacted farmers, particularly in terms of crop production and costs of farming inputs;
- (c) the  measures  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  the timely and adequate supply of DAP fertilizer to farmers across the country;
- (d) whether there are any efforts underway to diversify the sources of DAP or find alternative fertilizers to mitigate the reliance on imported DAP in the long term; and
- (e) whether the Government is considering to implement any subsidies or support programs  to  assist  farmers  who  are  being  disproportionately  affected  by  the increased costs or unavailability of DAP?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a)  &  (b):    The  requirement  of  DAP  in  the  country  for  the  ongoing  Rabi  2024-25 season, as per the assessment by Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, is 52.05 LMT. Against the pro-rata requirement, for the period 01.10.2024 to 03.12.2024, of 35.52 LMT, 38.27 LMT of DAP has been made available across the States. Further, the  sales  of  DAP  during  the  said  period  is  29.22  LMT  and  the  States  are  having closing stock of 9.05 LMT of DAP.
- (c): The  following  steps  are  taken  by  the  Government  every  season  for  ensuring timely and adequate supply of fertilizers 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  D/o Fertilizers 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.

(d): Government of India (GOI), through fertilizer  companies,  is  actively  engaging with  DAP  producing  nations  to  procure  additional  supplies  of  DAP.  Accordingly, opportunities for increasing the procurement of DAP have been explored in countries including Morocco, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Government of India (GOI) has implemented  Nutrient  Based  Subsidy  Policy  w.e.f.  01.04.2010  for  Phosphatic  and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers, under which subsidy is provided on notified P&K fertilizers, which includes Single Super Phosphate (SSP) also. Besides, GOI has notified Nano DAP under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) - 1985.

(e): 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.

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