RAJYA SABHA
In keeping with the
policy of economic liberalization and reforms, all fertilizers
except urea have already been freed from movement and distribution
control. The Government is extending subsidy to urea under Retention
Price cum Subsidy Scheme (RPS) and concession to decontrolled
phosphatic and potassic fertilizers on sale to farmers under Concession
Scheme after providing reasonable return to manufacturers. With
increase in production capacity during the last decade, India
has achieved near self-sufficiency in nitrogenous and phosphatic
fertilizers. The Government intend moving towards a de-regulated
regime in all the three types of fertilizers that is, nitrogenous,
phosphatic and potassic fertilizers, after taking into account
its fiscal capacity and also making available fertilizers to the
farmers at a reasonable price. Government is in the process of
formulating a new pricing policy for urea units keeping in view
the recommendations of Expenditure Reforms Commission for replacing
the existing RPS. The proposed new policy will be in the shape
of Group Concession Scheme. The new policy will aim at greater
transparency, uniformity and efficiency in subsidy disbursement
to urea units and will induce them to take cost reduction measures
on their own and be competitive. The impact of new fertilizer
policy is mainly in terms of techno-economic cost effective manufacturing.
The demand and production
of fertilizers in nutrient terms during the years 2001-02 and
2002-03 is as under:
(Lakh Metric Tonnes)
|
Year
|
Nutrient
|
Demand
|
Production
|
|
2001-02
|
Nitrogen (N)
|
113.11
|
107.68
|
| |
Phosphate (P)
|
43.82
|
38.60
|
| |
Potash (K)
|
16.67
|
-
|
|
2002-03 (Estimated)
|
Nitrogen (N)
|
120.64
|
108.76
|
| |
Phosphate (P)
|
52.20
|
43.56
|
| |
Potash (K)
|
19.68
|
-
|
The entire requirement
of Potash (K) is met through imports of Muriate of Potash (MOP)
in the absence of known commercially viable sources of production.
State-wise and
sector-wise major fertilizer producing units (excluding SSP) in
India at present in operation are as under:
|
Name of the
State
|
Sectors
|
Total
|
| |
Public
|
Co-operative
|
Private
|
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
1
|
-
|
4
|
5
|
|
Kerala
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Karnatka
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
5
|
|
Goa
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
|
Chatishgarh
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Maharashtra
|
4
|
-
|
1
|
5
|
|
Gujarat
|
-
|
3
|
7
|
10
|
|
Rajasthan
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
|
Jharkhand
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Bihar
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Orissa
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
4
|
|
West Bengal
|
2
|
-
|
1
|
3
|
|
Assam
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Haryana
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Punjab
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
4
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
-
|
4
|
4
|
8
|
|
Total
|
25
|
7
|
27
|
59*
|
*Out of these, 13
units are producing only Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) Ammonium
Sulfate (AS), Ammonium Chloride (AC) and other low analysis fertilizers
as by-products.
This information
was given by the Union Minister of Chemicals & fertilizers,
Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, in a written reply to a question in
the Rajya Sabha today.
