Lok Sabha Question No. 4790 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Shortage of Fertilizers  in Hingoli
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Aashtikar Patil Nagesh Bapurao

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4790 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 20.03.2026

## Shortage of Fertilizers in Hingoli

## 4790: SHRI AASHTIKAR PATIL NAGESH BAPURAO:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that farmers are facing recurrent shortages of essential fertilizers such as urea, DAP and complex fertilizers during critical sowing and cropping  seasons,  adversely  affecting  agricultural  productivity  in  the  Hingoli  district  of Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether instances of black-marketing, overpricing and uneven distribution through cooperative societies and private dealers have been reported in the said district, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of fertilizer allocation made to the said district during the last three years, crop-season-wise and product-wise;
- (d) whether any monitoring mechanisms, digital tracking systems or real-time stock audits are in place to ensure transparent, timely and equitable distribution; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the corrective steps taken/proposed to be taken to strengthen supply chains, prevent diversion and ensure affordable and uninterrupted fertilizer availability to farmers in the said district?

## ANSWER

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

## ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) to (e) Following steps are taken by the Government every season for ensuring timely and adequate availability of all fertilizers in the country, including in the State of Maharashtra:
- (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.

Moreover,  in  order  to  ensure  availability  of  Urea  at  affordable  prices,  under  the  Urea Subsidy Scheme, it 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. Further, to ensure affordability, special provisions like Rs. 3500 per MT to cover 'Other Costs'  which  includes  costs  incurred  from  factory  gate  to  farm  gate,  advantage  / disadvantage  due  to  increase  /  decrease  in  international  prices,  provision  for  GST component included in the MRP and provision for reasonable return @ 4% of net MRP (MRP-GST) have been extended to both imported and domestic DAP and imported TSP over and above NBS subsidy for Kharif 2025 and Rabi 2025-26 seasons.

Further, the mandate of D/o Fertilizers is to ensure adequate availability of fertilizers at State level. However, the distribution of fertilizers within the State at district level is done by the concerned State government.

In this regard, the State government of Maharashtra has informed that the availability of fertilizers  in  Hingoli  district  of  Maharashtra has remained adequate during the ongoing Rabi 2025-26 season. The information regarding allocation made, availability and closing stock of fertilizers, as informed by the State is as under:

| FERTILIZER AVAILABILITY POSITION IN HINGOLI DISTRICT DURING RABI 2025-26 SESAON FROM 01.10.2025 TO 16.03.2026   | FERTILIZER AVAILABILITY POSITION IN HINGOLI DISTRICT DURING RABI 2025-26 SESAON FROM 01.10.2025 TO 16.03.2026   | FERTILIZER AVAILABILITY POSITION IN HINGOLI DISTRICT DURING RABI 2025-26 SESAON FROM 01.10.2025 TO 16.03.2026   | FERTILIZER AVAILABILITY POSITION IN HINGOLI DISTRICT DURING RABI 2025-26 SESAON FROM 01.10.2025 TO 16.03.2026   | FERTILIZER AVAILABILITY POSITION IN HINGOLI DISTRICT DURING RABI 2025-26 SESAON FROM 01.10.2025 TO 16.03.2026   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| No.                                                                                                             | Grade                                                                                                           | Sanctioned Allocation                                                                                           | Total Availability                                                                                              | (Fig in MT) Closing Stock as on 16.3.2026                                                                       |
| 1                                                                                                               | Urea                                                                                                            | 17000                                                                                                           | 22791                                                                                                           | 8504                                                                                                            |
| 2                                                                                                               | DAP                                                                                                             | 6250                                                                                                            | 8594                                                                                                            | 4262                                                                                                            |
| 3                                                                                                               | NPKs                                                                                                            | 19500                                                                                                           | 38683                                                                                                           | 21572                                                                                                           |
|                                                                                                                 | Total                                                                                                           | 42750                                                                                                           | 70068                                                                                                           | 34338                                                                                                           |

Besides, as informed by the State, information regarding fertilizer allocation and supply in the said district during FYs 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 is as under:

| Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | Season-wise Fertilizer Allocation in Hingoli District                       | (Fig in MT)                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr No                                                                       | District                                                                    | Grade                                                                       | FY 2023-24                                                                  | FY 2023-24                                                                  | FY 2024-25                                                                  | FY 2024-25                                                                  | FY 2025-26                                                                  | FY 2025-26                                                                  |
| Sr No                                                                       | District                                                                    | Grade                                                                       | Kharif                                                                      | Rabi                                                                        | Kharif                                                                      | Rabi                                                                        | Kharif                                                                      | Rabi                                                                        |
| 1                                                                           | Hingoli                                                                     | UREA                                                                        | 16150                                                                       | 12270                                                                       | 16200                                                                       | 12260                                                                       | 19885                                                                       | 17000                                                                       |
| 2                                                                           | Hingoli                                                                     | DAP                                                                         | 12940                                                                       | 5850                                                                        | 15800                                                                       | 5736                                                                        | 12964                                                                       | 6250                                                                        |
| 3                                                                           | Hingoli                                                                     | NPKs                                                                        | 28720                                                                       | 16980                                                                       | 34000                                                                       | 18515                                                                       | 37000                                                                       | 19500                                                                       |
| Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | Season-wise Fertilizer Supply in Hingoli District                           | (Fig in MT)                                                                 |
| Sr No                                                                       | District                                                                    | Grade                                                                       | FY 2023-24                                                                  | FY 2023-24                                                                  | FY 2024-25                                                                  | FY 2024-25                                                                  | FY 2025-26 (as on 17.03.2026)                                               | FY 2025-26 (as on 17.03.2026)                                               |
|                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | Kharif                                                                      | Rabi                                                                        | Kharif                                                                      | Rabi                                                                        | Kharif                                                                      | Rabi                                                                        |
| 1                                                                           | Hingoli                                                                     | UREA                                                                        | 14431                                                                       | 17753                                                                       | 19662                                                                       | 11770                                                                       | 14388                                                                       | 18066                                                                       |
| 2                                                                           | Hingoli                                                                     | DAP                                                                         | 15198                                                                       | 3232                                                                        | 8259                                                                        | 3798                                                                        | 8241                                                                        | 4905                                                                        |
| 3                                                                           | Hingoli                                                                     | NPKs (Complex)                                                              | 27375                                                                       | 17684                                                                       | 29466                                                                       | 16227                                                                       | 33398                                                                       | 24656                                                                       |
| Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. | Net availability = Supply made + opening stock at the start of each season. |

Moreover, In order to address the issues such as black-marketing, hoarding and diversion, fertilizer  is  declared  as  an  essential  commodity  under  the  Essential  Commodities  Act, 1955  and  notified under  Fertilizer  Control  Order,  1985.  State  Governments  are empowered to take action against persons involved in said malpractices, as per provisions of  EC  Act.  Any  complaints  received at  Department of  Fertilizers  level  regarding  these malpractices is sent to concerned State Government to take appropriate action under Essential  Commodities  Act,  1955  and  Fertilizer  Control  Order,  1985.  Accordingly,  as informed  by  the  State,  no  instance  of  black-marketing,  has  been  reported  in  Hingoli district.

Furthermore, the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS) launched in June 2016 which is a comprehensive, all-integrated system covering all functionalities in the fertilizer supply chain. This comprehensive system covers the entire supply chain, meticulously capturing transactional data from raw material procurement, imports to fertilizer production and transportation via rail or road from plants, rake houses, ports to district warehouses, and finally sale at PoS enabled retailers, everything aligned with monthly supply plans at district  level  and  the  movement  of  fertilizers  is  being  captured  in  real  time.  Various modules under iFMS have been developed to ensure capture and maintain the fertilizers movement and sale data accurately in a secured manner. In order to prevent diversion and  thereby  ensure  affordable  and uninterrupted fertilizer availability to farmers, Department of Fertilizers has put a ceiling of 50 bags of subsidized fertilizers per buyer per month i.e. 300 bags of subsidized fertilizers per season. Additionally, a monthly list of 'Top 20 buyers' of each district is made available in the iFMS log-in of respective district magistrates for taking necessary action at their end.  Besides, Department of Fertilizers has  also  developed  a  dashboard  which  can  be  accessed  by  authorized  users.  The dashboard is developed to facilitate easy monitoring by various Stake holders viz. State Agriculture Departments, District Collectors and State Marketing Federations. The State Governments are also monitoring the availability and supply of fertilizers through iFMS and e-Urvarak Dashboard portals.

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