PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZERS FOR MONTH OF SEPTEMBER

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Overall Production

The estimated production of fertilizers during September, 2002 was 9.12 lakh MT of nitrogen against the target of 9.75 lakh MT and that of phosphate was 4.16 lakh MT against the target of 4.22 lakh MT. Production in the corresponding month of last year was 9.55 lakh MT of nitrogen and that of phosphate was 3.42 lakh MT. Production of both nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers was less than the target mainly on account of less supply of natural gas and its lean quality due to which production was affected in all the gas based plants. REC:Trombay and one stream of KRIBHCO: Hazira w.e.f. 24.6.2002 remained under shutdown due to shortage of gas. FACT:Cochin,
FCI: Sindri, NLC: Neyveli and DIL: Kanpur were under unscheduled shutdown, inter-alia, due to equipment problems. Production was less than the target due to equipment maintenance in NFL: Panipat and equipment problems in MFL: Chennai, HFC: Namrup-III and IFFCO: Phulpur-I. Similarly, DAP production was affected due to shortage of raw material & marketing constraints in all the DAP plants and production was less than target in all complex fertilizer plants due to high inventory. In product terms, production of urea was 16.23 lakh MT against the target of 16.74 lakh MT and that of DAP was 4.28 lakh MT against the target of 5.89 lakh MT.

The overall capacity utilisation in September, 2002 was 89.6 per cent for Nitrogen and 72.1 per cent for Phosphate.

The cumulative production of fertilizers during April- September, 2002 is estimated as 52.62 lakh MT of nitrogen as against the target of58.09 lakh MT and 19.69 MT of phosphate as against the target of 24,92 lakh MT. The cumulative production in the corresponding period was 53.26 lakh MT of nitrogen and 17.83 lakh MT of phosphate.

Sector-wise Production

The statement showing overall production performance of public, co-operative and private sector undertakings as well as the total production of fertilizers in the country is at Annexure.

Dispatches, availability and sale

(i) Urea

During September, 2002 16.21 lakh MT urea was dispatched to the States against the target of 16.00 lakh MT. Cumulative availability of urea during the current Kharif by the end of September, 2002 has been 106.26 lakh MT including opening stock of 13.03 lakh MT. This was 99% of the allocation of 107.00 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 Kharif 2002 season and no State has reported any shortage of urea. The sales of urea upto 30.09.2002 was 89.32 lakh MT which has been lower by about 6 per cent as compared with the sales of 95.01 lakh MT in the corresponding period of the previous year.

(ii ) DAP:

Cumulative availability of DAP during the current Kharif season by the end of September, 2002 has been 33.34 lakh MT as compared to the availability 36.31 lakh MT during the corresponding period of the previous year. The sale of DAP upto 30.09.2002 was 22.90 lakh MT which have been lower by about 20 per cent as compared with the sales of 28.63 lakh MT in the corresponding period of the previous year.

(iii) MOP:

Cumulative availability of MOP during the current Kharif by the end of September, 2002 has been 9.67 lakh MT compared to the availability of 12.74 lakh MT during the corresponding period of previous year. During Kharif 2002 (upto 31.09.2002) total sales has been 7.94 lakh MT which had been lower by about 15 per cent as compared to the sales of 9.34 lakh MT during the corresponding period of previous year.

The availability of DAP and MOP has been totally satisfactory in September, 2002 in all the States and no State has reported any shortage during the month.

Imports

There was no import of urea during September, 2002. However, 0.23 lakh MT of DAP and 2.32 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 1.46 lakh MT and 9.33 lakh MT respectively.