Revival of Urea Plants – Atma Nirbhar Bharat:
A historic decision has enabled the indigenous fertilizers production of Urea to provide approximately 300 lakh tones, thereby boosting the efforts in making Atmanirbhar Bharat. Total 6 new urea units have been set up under NIP – 2012. These are Panagarh urea unit of Matrix Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. (Matrix) in West Bengal; Gadepan-III urea unit of Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. (CFCL) in Rajasthan; Ramagundam urea unit of Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. (RFCL) in Telangana; and 3 urea units namely Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar respectively. Each of these units has the installed urea production capacity of 12.7 Lakh Metric Tonne per annum (LMTPA). Therefore, these units have together added 76.2 LMT per annum in the existing indigenous urea production capacity of the country which is currently at 283.74 LMTPA. The total production of indigenous Urea reached a record level of 314 LMT during 2023-24 and 258.43 LMT during 2024-25 (upto January, 2025). Talcher Fertilizer Project is under execution stage and has achieved an overall physical progress of 65.02 % as on 31.01.2025.
Nano Urea:
Government of India notified 4%, 8% and 16% specifications of Nano Urea under Fertilizer Control Order, 1985 on 24th February 2021, 2nd March 2023 and 15th April 2024 respectively. One bottle of 500 ml (16%) costs Rs 225-265 without subsidy. 7 plants operational so far with approx. 27.22 crore bottles per year installed capacity. Nano Urea (Liquid) has made a total sales of 9.76 Crore(equivalent of 500 ml bottles) as informed by the Fertilizer Companies as of 31st January, 2025.
Nano DAP:
Government of India notified the specifications of Nano DAP under Fertilizer Control Order, 1985 on 2nd March 2023. Nano DAP offers the potential to reduce the use of conventional granular DAP when applied for seed treatment and foliar application. Currently, 3 Plants operational have a combined installed capacity of approx. 7.64 crore bottles per year. As of 31st January, 2025, the sales of Nano DAP (equivalent of 500 ml bottles) have reached 2.04 crore.
Namo Drone Didi Program: PMKSKs AS HUBS FOR NAMO DRONE DIDIS:
15 Fertilizer Companies have provided 1094 drones to trained women members of SHG through RPTOs costing around Rs.50,000 per drone pilot & assistant. After training, these pilots from 22 States became mascots of Namo Drone Didi programme with their drones bringing a new age in farming sector. In order to handhold them and to enhance their entrepreneurial skills, 472 Hubs have been made functional in selected PMKSKs during the 100 days. Under the Entrepreneurship training model, two-day training camps for each Namo Drone Didi have been organized by Fertilizer companies. So far, these Namo Drone Didi’s have earned Rs. 2.83 Crore (approx.) by spraying on approx. 79,453 acres of various crops.
Urea Gold:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in its meeting held on 28th June, 2023 approved the launch of Sulphur Coated Urea i.e. “Urea Gold”. SCU offers superior Nitrogen use efficiency as compared to Neem Coated Urea, while also reducing water pollution, lowering the salt index, preventing soil compaction, and enhancing crop quality and yields. Rastriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) has started commercial production of Sulphur Coated Urea (Urea Gold). The Price of 40 kg bag of SCU is Rs 266.50 inclusive of all charges. The total production of SCU since inception till 31.01.2025 was 24,653 MTs & total sales was 19,442 MTs.
PM Program for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother-Earth (PM- PRANAM):
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the PM-PRANAM scheme on June 28, 2023, to promote sustainable fertilizer use, organic farming, and resource conservation. States/UTs saving fertilizer subsidies via reduced chemical fertilizer use (Urea, DAP, NPK, MOP) will receive 50% of the saved subsidy. During 2023-24, Action Plans were submitted by 22 States and 14 States have reported a total combined reduction of 15.14 Lakh Metric Tons of fertilizer usage under the scheme.
Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme:
The Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme was approved by the Cabinet on 28.06.2023 for promotion of Fermented Organic Manure (FOM), Liquid Fermented Organic Manure (LFOM) and Phosphate Rich Organic Manure (PROM). Subsidy provision @ Rs.1,500/MT for FOM, LFOM & PROM. Implementation period is from FY 2023-24 - 2025-26. Total outlay Rs.1,451.84 crore including a corpus fund of ₹360 crore for gap funding/research for three years (2023-24 to 2025-26). Rs. 17.74 Crores of subsidy has been released under MDA Scheme against the outlay of Rs. 35 Crore (RE-2024-25). Total sales of FOM/ LFOM/PROM by CBG operators as on 20.02.2025 is 3,09,852.23 MTs since the launch of scheme w.e.f. 20th September, 2023.
Community Radio:
With the objective of creating awareness among the farmers about PM-PRANAM, PMKSK, Soil Health, Balanced use of Fertilizers, Nutrient Management, Alternative Fertilizers, Natural and Organic Farming, Sustainable Agriculture, Nano Urea, Sulphur Coated Urea, Use of Agri-Drone etc., Department of Fertilizers engaged Community Radio Network through the Fertilizer Companies. Fertilizer Companies started broadcast of Programmes through Community Radios. The first programme was broadcast on 23.11.2023. Currently, Fertilizers Companies are broadcasting programs on 52 community radios. In last one year, (as on 31.01.2025), 6407 programs have been broadcasted through the Community Radios.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) project for fertilizer subsidy payment:
Department of Fertilizers (DoF) has implemented Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) project for fertilizer subsidy payment with a view to improve fertilizer service delivery to farmers. Under the fertilizer DBT system, 100% subsidy on various fertilizer grades is released to the fertilizer companies on the basis of actual sales made by the retailers to the beneficiaries. Sale of all subsidized fertilizers to farmers/buyers is made through Point of Sale (PoS) devices installed at each retailer shop and the beneficiaries are identified through Aadhaar Card, KCC, Voter Identity Card etc. Different States/UTs have been put on Go-Live mode w.e.f. 01.09.2017 and the Pan-India Roll out has been completed by March, 2018.
Helping neighbor's through fertilizer supplies – Nepal, Sri Lanka during crisis:
Export Permission granted by DoF in respect of Nepal to the tune of 87500 MT of Urea in FY 2022-23, 20,000 MTs of DAP and 20000 MT of MOP in FY 2023-24 and MOP 15000 MT and DAP 50500 MT in FY 2024-25 was given to Nepal. DoF has accorded approval for export of fertilizers to the tune of 66,000 MT of Urea to Sri Lanka on emergency basis under India’s Credit Line Mechanism.
Efficiently managing fertilizer movement and availability – rationalization of logistics:
Department of Fertilizers has ensured adequate availability and smooth supply of all the fertilizers across the country. The information regarding availability of fertilizers such as Urea, DAP, NPK and MOP across the country during 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Till January 2025) is placed at Annexure-I.
