Lok Sabha Question No. 882 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Fertilizer Subsidies to Farmers in Dhubri
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Md. Rakibul Hussain

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.882 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 07.02.2025

## Fertilizer Subsidies To Farmers In Dhubri

882:  MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN:

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

- (a) the  steps  that  are  being  taken  to  ensure  timely  and  adequate  availability  of chemical  fertilizers  to  farmers  in  Dhubri,  especially  during  the  peak  sowing seasons;
- (b) the  manner  in  which  the  Government  plans  to  address  the  rising  prices  of fertilizers and ensuring that farmers in Dhubri can access subsidies under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme to reduce their input costs; and;
- (c) whether there exist any plans of the Government to promote the use of organic fertilizers  and  integrated  nutrient  management  practices  in  Dhubri  to  reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers and enhance soil health?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a): Department    of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW)  assesses  the requirement for major fertilizers viz. UREA, DAP, MOP and NPKS fertilizers, before each cropping season.  Based on the assessment done by DA&FW, Department of Fertilizers allocates adequate quantities of fertilizers to States, including Assam, by issuing  monthly  supply  plan  and  continuously  monitors  the  availability  position. These supplies are met through indigenous production as well as imports. However, within the respective States it is the responsibility of respective State Government to ensure adequate availability through effective Inter-district and Intra-district distribution channels.

As  per  the  information  received  from  the  State  Government  of  Assam, adequate  amount  of  fertilizers  has  been  made  available  in  the  Dhubri  district throughout  the  year  and  no  shortage  of  fertilizers  has  occured  during  the  peak season.

(b): The  Government  has  implemented  Nutrient  Based  Subsidy  Policy  w.e.f. 01.04.2010 for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers.  Under the policy, a fixed amount of subsidy, decided on annual/bi-annual basis, is provided on notified P&K fertilizers  depending  on  their  nutrient  content. Under  this  policy,  MRP  is  fixed  by fertilizer companies as per market dynamics at reasonable level which is monitored by the Government. NBS policy is implemented on Pan India basis uniformly.

In  order  to  ensure  smooth  availability  of  fertilizers  at  affordable  prices  to farmers,  Government  has  provided  special  package  on  DAP  over  and  above  the NBS  subsidy  rates  on  need  basis  so  that  Maximum  Retail  Price  (MRP)  of  the fertilizers  remains  stable  and  market  volatility  are  subsumed.  In  2024-25,  the Government has approved one-time special package on DAP beyond the NBS rates on actual PoS (Point of Sale) sale of DAP from 01.04.2024 @ ₹ 3500 per MT to the P&K  fertilizer  companies  to  ensure  sustainable  availability  of  DAP  at  affordable prices  to  the  farmers  and  support  the  agriculture  sector  and  related  activities  and strengthen food security scenario in the country. Thus, the entire subsidy scheme is focused towards timely availability of fertilizers at affordable prices to farmers across the country including the farmers of the Dhubri district in Assam.

(c): Government  is  promoting  organic  farming  on  priority  in  the  country  for improving soil health and water retention through PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA (PKVY) in all the States/UTs (including Punjab) other-than North Eastern Region. The scheme stresses on end-to-end support to farmers engaged in organic farming  i.e.  from  production  to  processing,  certification  and  marketing  and  postharvest  management.  Training  and  capacity  building  are  integral  parts  of  the scheme. Under  PKVY, assistance of Rs. 31,500 per ha for a period of 3 years is provided for promotion of organic farming to cover different components like training &  capacity  building,  data  management,  Participatory  Guarantee  System-  India Certification, value addition, marketing and publicity. Out of this, the assistance of Rs.  15,000  per  ha  for  a  period  of  3  years  is  provided  to  farmers  through  Direct Benefit Transfer for on - farm /off - farm organic inputs.

Further, Indian Council of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  promotes  the sustainable  and  balanced  use  of  fertilizers,  by  recommending  soil  test  based integrated  nutrient  management  through  conjunctive  use  of  both  inorganic  and organic  sources.  ICAR  develops  both  processes  as  well  as  products  in  order  to promote  the  use  of  bio-fertilizers  /  bio-enriched  organic  manures.  Moreover, pursuant to the Budget Announcement, 2023 and on the recommendations of the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Government has approved the Market Development Assistance (MDA)@ Rs. 1500/MT to promote organic fertilizers with total outlay of Rs. 1451.84 Crore (FY 2023-24 to 2025-26), which includes a corpus of Rs. 360 Crore for research gap funding, etc.   These initiatives of the Government are expected to address the imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers thereby reducing overuse of chemical fertilizers.

Moreover,  as  per  the  information  received  from  the  State  Government  of Assam,  the  Department  of  Agriculture along with the District Administration promotes organic cultivation through the use of Vermi compost and other bio inputs. The  Agriculture  Department  and  P&RD  department  makes  the  use  of  Central Material  Collection  Facility  (MCF)  units  at  each  panchayat    to  prepare  vermi compost with help of FIGs and community participation. So far, 256 Vermi Compost units  have  been  developed  so  as  to  produce  sufficient  Vermi  Compost  which  is used by the farmers to reduce dependence on Chemical Fertilizers and to enhance soil health.

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