PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZERS FOR MONTH
OF OCTOBER
Overall Production
The estimated production
of major fertilizers during September, 2003 was 16.24 lakh MT
of urea and 3.80 lakh MT of DAP as against the target of 14.88
lakh MT and 5.76 lakh MT respectively. Production of both urea
and DAP continued to suffer on account of inadequate supply of
natural gas. RCF: Trombay-V remained under shutdown due to shortage
of gas. Besides, Duncan Industries Ltd., Kanpur has been continuing
under unscheduled shutdown since 1.4.2002, IFFCO-Kalol have to
take shutdown of urea plant due to shifting of Ammonia from Kalol
to Kandla plant from 18th August to 30th
September 2003. DAP plant of Oswal Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd.
at Paradeep had been under unscheduled shutdown since February
2003 resumed production on 11th September with very
low load operation.
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 96.21 and 20.05 lakh MT against the target
of 93.86 and 32.60 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 at annexure.
Dispatches,
availability and sale
(i) Urea
During September, 2003 18.00 lakh
MT urea was dispatched to the States against the target of 17.00
lakh MT. Cumulative availability of urea during the current Kharif
by the end of September, 2003 has been 107.00 lakh MT and this
level of availability was satisfactory in all the States. So far,
no State has reported any shortage. Further, the sale of urea
during Kharif 03 upto 30.9.2003 was 93.00 lakh MT which was higher
by about 4 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of
the previous year.
ii) Availability of decontrolled
fertilizers
As regards decontrolled
fertilizers, cumulative availability of DAP and MOP during the
current Kharif 03 season, by the end to September 2003, has been
31.00 lakh MT and 12.60 lakh MT respectively, which was adequate
to meet the total demand of the States.
Imports
Nearly 0.37 lakh
MT of urea, 0.77 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 4.65 lakh MT and 10.81 lakh MT respectively. The total
quantity of urea imported upto September 2002 was for the use
of complexes manufacture.
