23th April, 2002
Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers  


FERTILIZER PRODUCTION FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2002

The estimated production of fertilizers during March, 2002 was 7.31 lakh MTs of nitrogen and that of phosphate was 3.27 lakh MTs. The overall capacity utilization in March, 2002 was 72.9% for Nitrogen and 77.1% for phosphate. The total production of fertilizers during the year 2001-02 is estimated to be 107.68 lakh MTs of nitrogen and 38.60 lakh MTs of phosphate.

Despatches, availability and sales:

Urea

During March, 2002, 10.36 lakh MTs of urea was dispatched to the States against the target of 10 lakh MTs. Cumulative availability of urea during the Rabi 2001-02 was 115.76 lakh MTs including opening stock of 19.85 lakh MTs. This was 104% of the allocation of 110.93 lakh MTs under Essential Commodities Act (ECA) for the season. The availability of urea had been satisfactory in all the States during the Rabi 2001-02 season and no State had reported shortage of urea.

The sales of urea during Rabi 2001-02 was 102.33 lakh MTs which is higher by about 7% as compared with the sales of 96.02 lakh MTs in the Rabi 2000-01.

DAP

Cumulative availability of DAP during the Rabi 2001-02 had been 38.54 lakh MTs as compared to the availability of 38.62 lakh MTs in the last Rabi season. The sales of DAP in the said season was 32.88 lakh MTs as compared with the sales of 31.41 lakh MTs in the corresponding previous Rabi season resulting in a increase of about 5% over the sales in the last Rabi season.

MOP

Cumulative availability of MOP during the Rabi 2001-02 had been 17.16 lakh MTs compared with the availability of 15.32 lakh MTs during the previous Rabi season. During Rabi 2001-02, total sales, including sales to complex manufacturers had been 14.83 lakh MTs which had been higher by about 16% in comparison with the sales of 12.83 lakh MTs during the previous Rabi season of the previous year.

The availability of urea, DAP and MOP had been satisfactory in March, 2002 in all the States.

Imports

There was no import of urea and DAP during March, 2002. However, during the month under review, 1.54 lakh MTs of MOP has been imported. The total arrivals of Urea, DAP and MOP in the country had been 2.20 lakh MTs, 9.33 lakh MTs and 28.35 lakh MTs, respectively in the year 2001-02.

Loading by railways

The average daily loading of fertilizers by rail during March, 2002 was 2746 equivalent BG wagons per day as against 2532 BG wagons per day in the corresponding period of last year.