No shortage of fertilizers in Rabi season

There is more than adequate availability of key fertilizers, including urea and Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), in the country to meet the needs of the ongoing Rabi (winter) season.

The Central Government is sending fertilizers as per need to all states, and it is the responsibility of the respective state governments to ensure availability within the states through proper intra-district and inter-district distribution, the Fertilizer Ministry said.

The statement came against the backdrop of certain media reports claiming a shortage of fertilizers in Trichy (Tamil Nadu) and Rajasthan.

At the just-concluded G20 Summit in Bali (Indonesia), Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cautioned the G-20 leaders that today’s fertilizer shortage could become tomorrow’s food crisis as he strongly pitched for maintaining a “stable” supply chain for both manure and foodgrains.

According to the ministry, urea requirement is projected at 180.18 lakh tonnes (lt) for the 2022 Rabi season. The pro rata requirement up to November 16 was 57.40 lt, against which the government has ensured availability of 92.54 lt.

During this period, the sales of urea have been 38.43 lt. Further, there is a closing stock of 54.11 lt lying with the states. In addition to this, there is a stock of 1.05 lt at urea plants and 5.03 lt at ports so as to meet the demand, the ministry added.

In the case of DAP, the ministry said the projected requirement was 55.38 lt for the Rabi season. The pro rata requirement up to November 16 was 26.98 lt, against which the ministry has ensured availability of 36.90 lt.

During this period, the sales of DAP have been 24.57 lt. Further, there is a closing stock of 12.33 lt lying with the states. In addition to this, there is a stock of 0.51 lt at the DAP plants and 4.51 lt at the ports so as to meet the demand.

Similarly, the projected requirement of Muriate of Potash (MOP) is 14.35 lt for the Rabi season. The pro rata requirement up to November 16 was 5.28 lt, against which the ministry has ensured availability of 8.04 lt.

During this period, the sales of MOP were 3.01 lt and a closing stock of 5.03 lt is lying in the states. In addition to this, there is a stock of 1.17 lt at ports so as to meet the demand of MOP.

In the case of NPKS fertilizers, the projected requirement is 56.97 lt for the Rabi season. The pro rata requirement up to November 16 was 20.12 lt, against which the ministry has ensured availability of 40.76 lt.

During this period, the sales of NPKS have been 15.99 lt. Further, there is a closing stock of 24.77 lt lying in the states, while there is a stock of 1.24 lt at the plants and 2.93 lt at the ports so as to meet the demand.

The projected requirement of Single Super Phosphate (SSP) is 33.64 lt for the Rabi season. The pro rata requirement up to November 16 was 14.05 lt, against which the ministry has ensured availability of 24.79 lt.

During this period, the sales of SSP have been 9.25 lt. Further, there is a closing stock of 15.54 lt lying in the states. There is also a stock of 1.65 lt available at the plants so as to meet the demand.

"Thus, (the) availability of urea, DAP, MOP, NPKS and SSP fertilizers in the country is adequate to meet (the) needs of the Rabi season," the ministry asserted. Currently, the sowing of Rabi (winter) crops such as wheat, gram and mustard are underway. The total coverage under all the Rabi crops remained higher at 268.80 lakh hectares as on November 18 of this Rabi season, higher than 250.76 lakh hectares in the year-ago period, as per the official data.