PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZERS FOR MONTH OF FEBRUARY

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The estimated production of fertilizers during February, 2003 was 8.60 lakh MT of nitrogen and 2.91 lakh MT of phosphate against the target of 9.6 lakh MT and 3.72 lakh MT respectively. Production of both nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers suffered on account of inadequate supply of natural gas.

During February 2003, 14.47 lakh MT urea was dispatched under EC allocations to the States against the target of 14.00 lakh MT. Cumulative availability of urea during the current Rabi season by the end of February 2003 has been 97.21 lakh MT and this level of availability was satisfactory in all the States. So far no State has reported any shortage to this Department. Further, the sale of urea during Rabi 2002-03 upto 28.2.2003 was 88.69 lakh MT which has been lower by about 8.40 per cent as compared in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Cumulative availability of DAP and MOP during the current Rabi 2002-03 season by the end of February 2003 has been 35.92 lakh MT and 11.38 lakh MT respectively. The availability of these major decontrolled fertilizers was totally satisfactory during this month in all the States and no State has reported any shortage in this period.

There was no import of urea during February 2003. However, merely 0.31 lakh MT of DAP and 1.77 lakh MT of MOP has been imported in the country during the month. The cumulative arrival for the current year of DAP and MOP in the country has been 3.70 lakh MT and 23.97 lakh MT, respectively.