Overall Production
The estimated production
of fertilizers during October, 2002 was 9.06 lakh MT of nitrogen
and that of phosphate was 3.55 lakh MT. Production in the corresponding
month of last year was 8.99 lakh MT of nitrogen and that of phosphate
was 3.61 lakh MT. In product terms, production of urea was 16.00
lakh MT and that of DAP was 5.36 lakh MT.
The overall capacity
utilisation in October, 2002 was 90.0 per cent for Nitrogen and
79.2 per cent for Phosphate.
The cumulative production
of fertilizers during April- October, 2002 is estimated to be
61.68 lakh MT of nitrogen and 23.24 lakh MT of phosphate. The
cumulative production in the corresponding period of last year
was 62.25 lakh MT of nitrogen and 21.44 lakh MT of phosphate.
Dispatches,
availability and sales
(i) Urea:
During October, 2002
15.28 lakh MT urea was dispatched to the States against the target
of 15.20 lakh MT. Cumulative availability of urea during the current
Rabi season by the end of October, 2002 has been 31.75 lakh MT
including opening stock of 16.47 lakh MT. This was 30% of the
allocation of 106.20 lakh MT under Essential Commodities Act (ECA)
for the season. The availability of urea has been satisfactory
in all the States so far, during the Rabi 2002-03 season and no
State has reported any shortage of urea.
(ii ) DAP:
Cumulative availability
of DAP during the current Rabi season by the end of October, 2002
has been 16.89 lakh MT as compared to the availability of 13.89
lakh MT during the corresponding period of the previous year.
The sale of DAP upto 31.10.2002 was 8.99 lakh MT which is higher
by about 21% as compared with the sales of 7.41 lakh MT in the
corresponding period of the previous year.
(iii) MOP:
Cumulative availability
of MOP during the current Rabi 2002-03 by the end of October,
2002 has been 4.02 lakh MT compared to the availability of 5.29
lakh MT during the corresponding period of previous year. During
Rabi 2002-03 (upto 31.10.2002) total sales of MOP has been 1.97
lakh MT which has been higher by about 4 per cent as compared
to the sales of 1.90 lakh MT during the corresponding period of
previous year.
The availability
of DAP and MOP has been totally satisfactory in October, 2002
in all the States and no State has reported any shortage during
the month.
Imports
There was no import
of urea during October, 2002. However, 0.89 lakh MT of DAP and
2.52 lakh MT of MOP have been imported during the month. The cumulative
arrivals for the current year of DAP and MOP in the country have
been 2.76 lakh MT and 13.79 lakh MT respectively.
