Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, while giving a written replies to questions on availability of fertilizers in the country, in Lok Sabha, stated that Department of Fertilizers ensures adequate availability of fertilizers to the farmers. However, distribution within the State is the responsibility of the concerned State Government.

The Minister stated that availability of fertilizers is monitored at the State level through data captured in the integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System (iFMS). As per the system, there is no shortage of any fertilizer in the country.

The projected requirement of urea was 59.47 lakh tonnes as on 21 June 2019, while availability stood at 61.82 lakh tonnes and sales at 49.28 lakh tonnes. The projected requirement of P&K (DAP,MOP & Complex) was 46.91 lakh tonnes, while the availability stood at 71.80 lakh tonnes and sales at 30.06 lakh tonnes.

It may be seen from the data above that the availability of fertilizers has been more than the sales.

D.V. Sadananda Gowda stated in detail the steps that are being taken by the Government to ensure adequate supply of fertilizers across the country. He informed that before the commencement of each cropping season, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW), in consultation with all the State Governments, assesses the requirement of fertilizers. After assessment of requirement, DAC&FW projects month-wise requirement of fertilizers.

On the basis of month-wise & state-wise projection given by DAC&FW, Department of Fertilizers allocates sufficient/ adequate quantities of fertilizers to States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability through following system:

i.) The movement of all major subsidized fertilizers is being monitored throughout the country by an on-line web based monitoring system called integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System (iFMS);

ii.) The State Governments are regularly advised to coordinate with manufacturers and importers of fertilizers for streamlining the supplies through timely placement of indents for railway rakes through their state institutional agencies like Markfed etc.

iii.) Regular Weekly Video Conference is conducted jointly by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW), Department of Fertilizers (DoF), and Ministry of Railways with State Agriculture Officials and corrective actions are taken to dispatch fertilizer as indicated by the State Governments.

iv.) The gap between demand (requirement) and production is met through imports. The import for the season is also finalised well in advance to ensure timely availability.

In addition to the above steps, the Minister informed that the Government of India is reviving five closed fertilizer plants. These include Talcher, Ramagundam, Gorakhpur and Sindri plants of Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd. (FCIL) and Barauni plant of Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Ltd. (HFCL), by setting up new Ammonia Urea plants of 12.7 Lakh metric tonne per annum capacity each. These projects upon implementation/ operationalization will bridge the gap between demand and supply of urea in the country and will rejuvenate the fertilizer sector.

D.V. Sadananda Gowda stated that subsequent to commissioning/ start of the above plants, the indigenous urea production will be enhanced by 63.5 Lakh Metric Tonne per year leading to corresponding reduction in import of urea. Government of India has also proposed to set up a new Ammonia-Urea Plant at Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizers Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Namrup-IV having capacity of 12.70 LMT or Urea through nomination (PSU) route, the Minister added.