SELF SUFFICIENCY
IN FERTILIZER PRODUCTION
The country has achieved
near self-sufficiency in all the nitrogenous (N) and phosphatic
(P) fertilizers. The installed capacity of 120.86 lakh MT of ‘N’
and 53.60 lakh MT of ‘P’ as on 31.10.2002 is sufficient to meet
the existing level of domestic requirement of these fertilizers.
However, in case of potash, its entire quantity is met through
import in the absence of known commercially exploitable reserves.
Year wise production
and consumption of fertilizer in nutrient terms during 2000-01
2001-02 & 2002-03 (upto Oct. 2002) is given below:
|
Year
|
Production
|
Consumption
|
| |
Nitrogen
|
Phosphate
|
Nitrogen
|
Phosphate
|
Potash
|
|
2000-01
|
109.61
|
37.43
|
109.20
|
42.15
|
15.67
|
|
2001-02
|
107.68
|
38.60
|
113.10
|
43.82
|
16.67
|
|
2002-03 (upto
Oct.02)
|
61.68
|
23.24
|
57.02
|
23.54*
|
8.55*
|
*This include sales
of urea, DAP, MOP and production of complexes and low analysis
fertilizers namely Ammonium Sulphate, Ammonium Chloride, Calcium
ammonium Nitrate & SSP.
Achievement of
total self-sufficiency in nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers
in future will mainly depend on the growth in their consumption
level, availability/economics of feed stock, price trends of these
fertilizers in the international market.
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.
