PERFORMANCE OF FERTILIZER SECTOR
FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
Overall Production
The estimated production
of major fertilizers during October, 2003 was 16.90 lakh MT of
urea and 5.03 lakh MT of DAP as against the target of 16.55 lakh
MT and 5.56 lakh MT respectively. Production of urea would have
been still better but on account of inadequate supply of natural
gas RCF: Trombay-V remained under shutdown. Besides, Duncan Industries
Ltd., Kanpur has been continuing under shutdown since 1.4.2002,
DAP production excluding Oswal Chemicals and Fertilizers–Paradeep
during the month was 4.90 lakh MT as against the target of 4.33
lakh Mt which was 111.8 per cent of the target and 103.2 per cent
of capacity utilisation during the month. DAP plant of Oswal Chemical
& Fertilizers Ltd. (OCFL),-Paradeep was under unscheduled
shutdown during the month. Complex fertilizers production was
less than the target due to marketing constraints.
Lack of production
in the above-mentioned plants did not, however, adversely affect
the overall availability of urea and other decontrolled fertilizers
in all the states.
The cumulative production
of urea and DAP was 113.12 and 25.08 lakh MT against the target
of 110.40 and 38.18 lakh MT respectively.
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 enclosed.
Dispatches,
availability and sales
Urea
During October,
2003 16.32 lakh MT urea was dispatched to the States against the
target of 13.00 lakh MT. Cumulative availability of urea during
the current Rabi season by the end of October, 2003 has been 30.34
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 2003-04 upto
30.10.2003 was 7.44 lakh MT which was lower by about 12 per cent
as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
Availability
of decontrolled fertilizers
As regards decontrolled
fertilizers, cumulative availability of DAP and MOP during the
current Rabi 2003 season, by the end to October 2003, has been
15.58 lakh MT and 4.09 lakh MT respectively, which was adequate
to meet the total demand of the States.
Imports
There was no import
of urea during the month. However, 1.13 lakh MT of DAP and 1.32
lakh MT of MOP was imported in the country during the month. The
cumulative arrival for the current year of urea, DAP and MOP in
the country has been 0.97 lakh MT 5.78 lakh MT and 14.22 lakh
MT respectively. The total quantity of urea imported upto October
2003 was for the use of complex manufacture.
