Lok Sabha Question No. 3534 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Distribution of Fertilizers
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Utkarsh Verma Madhur, Shri Gopal Jee Thakur, Md. Rakibul Hussain

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3534 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 13.03.2026

## Distribution of Fertilizers

## 3534   MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN: SHRI GOPAL JEE THAKUR: SHRI UTKARSH VERMA MADHUR:

Will the Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that high fertilizer prices, artificial scarcity and instances of forced black-  marketing  have  adversely  affected  small  and  marginal  farmers  particularly  in Assam, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken by the Union Government in coordination with the State Governments, District Authorities, Agriculture Department and Fertilizer Units to strengthen and monitor continuous and equitable availability and distribution of fertilizers to farmers;
- (c)  the  number  of  complaints  received  by  the  Union  and  State  Government  regarding overpricing, hoarding and black-marketing of fertilizers during the last three years;
- (d) the number of inspections, raids and enforcement drives conducted to check illegal movement, hoarding, black marketing and overpricing, State/district-wise including Assam and Darbhanga district of Bihar;
- (e) the procedure adopted to detect and check the supply of inferior quality fertilizers; and
- (f)  the  details  of  action  taken  against  violators,  including suspension or cancellation of licences, penalties imposed and prosecutions initiated?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) to (f) Following steps are taken by the Government every season for ensuring timely and adequate availability of all 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 by DA&FW, D/o Fertilizers allocates 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 Management System (iFMS).
- (iv) The State Governments are regularly advised to coordinate with manufacturers and importers for streamlining the supplies through timely placement of indents.
- (v) Regular coordination meetings are held with Ministry of Railways for giving sufficient rakes, priority to fertilizers and for timely evacuation of rakes for States.
- (vi) The distribution of fertilizers within the State at district level is done by the concerned State government.

In view of above, it is submitted that the availability of fertilizers has remained adequate in the country during the ongoing Rabi 2025-26 season.

Further,  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers'  Welfare  in  consultation  with  the  State Government is regularly monitoring the enforcement action taken by State Government against the cases of Black marketing, Hoarding, Sub-standard and Diversion on weekly basis.  In  the  country,  from  01.04.2025  to  06.03.2026,  4,60,840  raids  have  been conducted with 16,160 show cause notices issued, 6,782 licenses suspended/cancelled and 817 FIRs registered  against  defaulters.  DA&FW regularly  pursues  with  the  State Government to strictly implement the enforcement action against the defaulters. Besides, as informed by DA&FW, a comprehensive multilevel mechanism namely, Dharti Mata Bachao Abhiyan with Committees constituted at Village level, Sub Division (taluka/tehsil) & District Level was initiated in the Month of August , 2025. Under the program, Dharti Mata Bachao Nigrani Samiti will be constituted at Village level to be headed by Gram Pradhan, Sub Division Level Committee will be headed by Sub Divisional Magistrate and District level Committee will be headed by District Magistrate. The Samiti is to monitor excessive sale of fertilizers to particular individuals or group of individuals in panchayat, ascertaining the reason for the same and informing district & sub-division authorities in case of diversion for non agricultural use / cross border smuggling. Such surveillance mechanism,  which  will  keep  tab  on  any  illegal  diversion  of  fertilizers  as  well  as  on production/distribution  of  spurious  or  fake  fertilizers.  As  on  date  1,71,150  Gram  level panchayat  Committee,  2,286  Sub  Divisional  Level  Committee  and  467  District  level Committee have been formed across the country. The State-wise

details of enforcement activities performed by the States during the period 01.04.2025 to 06.03.2026, as informed by them is placed at Annexure . In view of this, it is informed that  during  last  3  years  and  in  current  year  as  on  28.02.2026,  405  complaints  of overpricing, hoarding, black-marketing and other malpractices have been received in D/o Fertilizers through CP-GRAMS portal which is an online platform to redress grievances related to fertilizers. These complaints were sent to concerned State govts. for necessary action under FCO-1985.

Moreover, State govt. of Assam has informed that no case of high prices and artificial scarcity of fertilizers has been observed in the State.

With respect to details of enforcement activities in Darbhanga district of Bihar, the State govt. has informed that during Kharif 2026 and Rabi 2025-26 seasons the number of inspections, raids and enforcement drives conducted to check illegal movement, hording, black  marketing  and  overpricing  of  fertilizers  includes  530  inspections,  03  FIRs,    15 License cancellation, 11 show-cause notices and 17 license suspensions.

Further, under the Urea Subsidy Scheme, 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).  The  difference between the delivered cost of Urea at farm gate and net market realization by the urea units is given as subsidy to the urea manufacturer/importer by the Government of India. Accordingly, all farmers are being supplied urea at the subsidized rate.

Besides, the Government has implemented Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme w.e.f. 01.04.2010 for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers. Under NBS Scheme, MRP of P&K fertilizers are decontrolled and companies are free to fix MRP as per their business dynamics at a reasonable level which is monitored by the government. The subsidy is provided to manufacturer/imported on notified P&K fertilizers on its PoS sale during the season, depending on their nutrient content to ensure availability of fertilizers to farmers.

Furthermore, for ensuring adequate availability of good quality fertilizers to the farmers, Fertilizer Control Order (FCO)-1985 has laid down fertilizer-wise detailed specifications. Any  fertilizer,  not  meeting  the  said  specifications,  cannot  be  sold  in  the  country  for agricultural  purpose.  Clause  19  of  FCO  strictly  prohibits  the  sale  or  manufacture  of fertilizers which are not of prescribed standards. Any sale of substandard/fake/adulterated fertilizers is punishable under Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The State Governments are the enforcement agencies and are adequately empowered to enforce the provisions of FCO.

*******

| Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   | Action taken by the State Governments to checkblack marketing, hoarding, quality check,   |
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|                                                                                           |                                                                                           | Black Marketing                                                                           | Black Marketing                                                                           | Black Marketing                                                                           | Hoarding                                                                                  | Hoarding                                                                                  | Hoarding                                                                                  | Sub Standard                                                                              | Sub Standard                                                                              | Sub Standard                                                                              | Quality Diversion                                                                         | Quality Diversion                                                                         | Quality Diversion                                                                         | Convicti on with details*                                                                 | Toatal                                                                                    | Toatal                                                                                    | Toatal                                                                                    |
| States                                                                                    | No. of Inspectio ns /raids                                                                | Show cause notice issued                                                                  | No. of licenses cancelled/ su spended                                                     | FIR registere d                                                                           | Show cause notice issued                                                                  | No. of licenses cancelled/ su spended                                                     | FIR Regist- ered                                                                          | Show cause notice issued                                                                  | No. of licenses cancelled/ suspended                                                      | FIR registered                                                                            | Show cause notice issued                                                                  | No. of licenses cancelled/ suspended                                                      | FIR registe red                                                                           |                                                                                           | Show cause notice issued                                                                  | No. of licenses cancelled/ su spended                                                     | FIR registere d                                                                           |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                                            | 23898                                                                                     | 80                                                                                        | 10                                                                                        | 9                                                                                         | 207                                                                                       | 11                                                                                        | 19                                                                                        | 380                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 19                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         | 12                                                                                        | NIL                                                                                       | 686                                                                                       | 25                                                                                        | 40                                                                                        |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Assam                                                                                     | 5284                                                                                      | 12                                                                                        | 6                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 59                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 46                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 27                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 144                                                                                       | 7                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         |
| Bihar                                                                                     | 24751                                                                                     | 1283                                                                                      | 845                                                                                       | 122                                                                                       | 7                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 6                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 1296                                                                                      | 845                                                                                       | 122                                                                                       |
| Chhattisgarh                                                                              | 7118                                                                                      | 297                                                                                       | 13                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         | 29                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 145                                                                                       | 5                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 24                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 495                                                                                       | 19                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         |
| Dadar & Nagar                                                                             | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Delhi                                                                                     | 395                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 3                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 3                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 3                                                                                         | 3                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         |
| Goa                                                                                       | 619                                                                                       | 544                                                                                       | 180                                                                                       | 6                                                                                         | 10                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 32                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 16                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 602                                                                                       | 181                                                                                       | 6                                                                                         |
| Gujarat                                                                                   | 17933                                                                                     | 56                                                                                        | 3                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 25                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 146                                                                                       | 2                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 19                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         | 13                                                                                        | NIL                                                                                       | 246                                                                                       | 9                                                                                         | 14                                                                                        |
| Haryana                                                                                   | 5181                                                                                      | 68                                                                                        | 16                                                                                        | 10                                                                                        | 25                                                                                        | 21                                                                                        | 5                                                                                         | 51                                                                                        | 12                                                                                        | 6                                                                                         | 14                                                                                        | 6                                                                                         | 6                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 158                                                                                       | 55                                                                                        | 27                                                                                        |
| Himachal Pradesh                                                                          | 25                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Jammu & Kashmir                                                                           | 5613                                                                                      | 154                                                                                       | 46                                                                                        | 2                                                                                         | 36                                                                                        | 3                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 73                                                                                        | 2                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 8                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 271                                                                                       | 51                                                                                        | 2                                                                                         |
| Jharkhand                                                                                 | 759                                                                                       | 57                                                                                        | 20                                                                                        | 11                                                                                        | 32                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 2                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 92                                                                                        | 25                                                                                        | 11                                                                                        |
| Karnataka                                                                                 | 9709                                                                                      | 368                                                                                       | 25                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | 243                                                                                       | 5                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 258                                                                                       | 14                                                                                        | 2                                                                                         | 96                                                                                        | 6                                                                                         | 11                                                                                        | NIL                                                                                       | 965                                                                                       | 50                                                                                        | 14                                                                                        |
| Kerala                                                                                    | 1735                                                                                      | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 53                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 4                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 4                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 57                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 4                                                                                         |
| Madhya Pradesh                                                                            | 6207                                                                                      | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 93                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 759                                                                                       | 44                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         | 748                                                                                       | 160                                                                                       | 15                                                                                        | NIL                                                                                       | 1507                                                                                      | 204                                                                                       | 112                                                                                       |
| Maharashtra                                                                               | 50288                                                                                     | 16                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 16                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 1906                                                                                      | 1404                                                                                      | 46                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | 73                                                                                        | 2                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 1923                                                                                      | 1477                                                                                      | 64                                                                                        |
| Manipur                                                                                   | 3                                                                                         | 0 0                                                                                       | 0 0                                                                                       | 0 0                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 1                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Meghalaya                                                                                 | 757                                                                                       |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Mizoram                                                                                   | 39                                                                                        | 4                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 4                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 8                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Nagaland                                                                                  | 81                                                                                        | 14                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 14                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 101                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 2                                                                                         | 64                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 117                                                                                       | 64                                                                                        | 15                                                                                        |
| Odisha                                                                                    | 8149                                                                                      | 4                                                                                         | 3                                                                                         | 2                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 55                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | 1                                                                                         | 2204                                                                                      | 112                                                                                       | 4                                                                                         |                                                                                           | 2263                                                                                      | 116                                                                                       | 7                                                                                         |
| Puducherry                                                                                | 56                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0 NIL                                                                                     | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
| Rajasthan                                                                                 | 12004                                                                                     | 652                                                                                       | 118                                                                                       | 48                                                                                        | 74                                                                                        | 41                                                                                        | 34                                                                                        | 519                                                                                       | 1                                                                                         | 2                                                                                         | 27                                                                                        | 22                                                                                        | 27                                                                                        | NIL                                                                                       | 1272                                                                                      | 182                                                                                       | 111                                                                                       |
| Tamilnadu                                                                                 |                                                                                           | 14                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 8                                                                                         |                                                                                           | 8                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 33                                                                                        | 25                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 112                                                                                       | 17                                                                                        | 1                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       | 165                                                                                       | 50                                                                                        | 9                                                                                         |
|                                                                                           | 22392                                                                                     |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 6                                                                                         |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 154                                                                                       | 13                                                                                        |                                                                                           |
| Telangana Tripura                                                                         | 145170                                                                                    | 7                                                                                         | 11                                                                                        | 3                                                                                         | 4                                                                                         | 2                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 139                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 4                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 5                                                                                         | NIL                                                                                       |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 8                                                                                         |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                                             | 865                                                                                       | 0 2562                                                                                    | 0 2981                                                                                    | 0 185                                                                                     | 9 164                                                                                     | 0 139                                                                                     | 0 13                                                                                      | 0 171                                                                                     | 0 175                                                                                     | 0 20                                                                                      | 0 88                                                                                      | 0 7                                                                                       | 0 15                                                                                      | NIL 3                                                                                     | 9 2985                                                                                    | 0 3302                                                                                    | 0 233                                                                                     |
| Uttarakhand                                                                               | 45387                                                                                     |                                                                                           | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |                                                                                           | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         | 43                                                                                        | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 0                                                                                         | 0                                                                                         |
|                                                                                           | 585                                                                                       | 0                                                                                         |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 0                                                                                         |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | NIL                                                                                       | 43                                                                                        |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |