Measures to free Indian farmers from urea, DAP and potash

Why in the NEWS?

• Urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MOP) are being used excessively in the Indian agriculture sector, increasing the country's import dependence.

What will you read next in this topic?

1. Need to reduce import dependence
2. Challenges of high-analysis fertilizers in Indian agriculture
3. Use of 20:20:0:13 (APS) in place of DAP
4. Measures to limit the use of urea
5. New strategies of fertilizer companies
6. Future strategy
7. Efforts being made by the government for balanced fertilizer use in Indian agriculture

Need to reduce import dependence

• The majority of major fertilizers used in India are imported, putting pressure on the country’s foreign exchange.
• MOP is entirely imported from Canada, Russia, Jordan, Israel, Turkmenistan, and Belarus as India has no mineable potash reserves.
• 85% of urea is produced domestically, but liquefied natural gas (LNG) used in its manufacture is imported from Qatar, the US, the UAE, and Angola.
• DAP is imported as finished fertilizer and raw materials (such as phosphoric acid, rock phosphate, and sulphur) from Saudi Arabia, China, Morocco, Russia, Jordan, Togo, Egypt, and Algeria.

Challenges of high-analysis fertilizers in Indian agriculture

• Excessive nutrition: Urea contains 46% nitrogen (N), DAP contains 46% phosphorus (P) and 18% nitrogen and MOP contains 60% potash (K). Most crops do not require such high proportions of nutrients.
• Unbalanced fertilizer use: Indian farmers often overuse a single fertilizer, which adversely affects soil fertility.
• Degradation of soil quality: Continuous use of the same type of fertilizer can deplete other essential nutrients in the soil, reducing land productivity.
• Environmental damage: Excessive fertilizer use can lead to over-accumulation of nitrate and phosphate in water sources, causing water pollution and ecological imbalance.
• Negative impact on agriculture in the long term: Overuse of these fertilizers adversely affects soil structure and biodiversity, reducing long-term agricultural productivity.

Use of 20:20:0:13 (APS) in place of DAP

• Ammonium Phosphate Sulphate (APS) fertilizer is an excellent alternative to DAP. It contains 20% nitrogen (N), 20% phosphorus (P) and 13% sulphur (S).
• Economical alternative to DAP: APS is cheaper than DAP and can be used more effectively.
• Suitable for sulphur-rich crops: Oilseeds, pulses, maize, cotton, onion, chillies etc. require additional sulphur, which APS fulfils better.
• Higher availability than DAP: APS sales increased by 32.4% in 2023-24 while DAP sales declined by 14.1%.
• Beneficial for soil health: The presence of sulphur in APS increases the availability of micronutrients in the soil.
• Eliminates Sulphur Deficiency: Sulphur deficiency is often observed in Indian soils, which can be met with the use of APS.

Measures to limit the use of urea

• Use of Nano urea: Nano urea is more efficient and environmentally friendly than conventional urea. It is absorbed directly by the leaves and is more effective despite being used in smaller quantities.
• Promoting organic and biodegradable fertilizers: Use of vermicomposting, organic manure, and other natural fertilizers maintains soil quality and reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers.
• Increasing fertilizer use efficiency: Techniques such as drip irrigation and fertigation can ensure optimal nutrient use.
• Use of nitrogen fixation techniques: Adding nitrogen-fixing compounds to fertilizers can increase its efficiency.

New strategies of fertilizer companies

• Promoting APS: Companies like Coromandel International, Paradeep Phosphates, Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers, Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) are now aggressively marketing APS.
• Reducing dependence on DAP: The government is gradually reducing the subsidy on DAP, leading to a shift towards other alternatives.
• Promoting local production: The Government of India is implementing new policies to increase domestic production.
• Development of new technologies: Fertilizer companies are developing smart fertilizer solutions for farmers.

Future strategy

• Balanced fertilizer use: Direct use of MOP can be reduced by promoting fertilizers like 10:26:26:0, 12:32:16:0, 15:15:15:0 ​​and 14:35:14:0.
• Promoting scientific fertilizer use: Balanced use of fertilizers should be recommended based on soil testing.
• Developing affordable and domestic alternatives of nutrients: Government and private companies should jointly carry out research and increase the production of fertilizers domestically.
• Educating farmers: Training farmers for proper fertilizer use and soil health management is essential.

Efforts being made by the government for balanced fertilizer use in Indian agriculture

• The government is making several important efforts to promote balanced fertilizer use in Indian agriculture. 
• These efforts not only ensure effective use of fertilizers, but are also helpful in reducing the cost of farmers and maintaining soil fertility.

Soil Health Card Scheme

• Under this scheme, farmers are given a report by analysing the nutrient status of their soil.
• Farmers are recommended to use fertilizers scientifically and in a balanced manner.
• This helps in increasing crop production and preventing unnecessary use of fertilizers.

Promotion of Nano Urea

• Nano Urea is being promoted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and IFFCO.
• It is more effective than conventional urea and crops get the required nitrogen with less amount of it.
• This reduces the wastage of urea and reduces environmental impact.

Neem Coated Urea Mandatory

• The government has made it mandatory for all urea production to be neem-coated to prevent misuse of urea and increase its efficiency.
• This leads to slow absorption of urea, thereby reducing nitrogen losses.

Promotion of subsidies and alternative fertilizers

• The government is promoting APS (20:20:0:13) and other balanced fertilizers to reduce dependence on high-analysis fertilizers like DAP and MOP.
• Subsidies and awareness campaigns are being run on organic manure, green manure and organic fertilizers.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and fertilizer balancing
• The government is encouraging farmers for proper fertilizer management by providing them direct financial assistance.
• Various schemes are being run to reduce dependence on fertilizers and move towards organic farming.

Soil Testing Labs

• Soil testing laboratories are being set up across the country so that farmers can get their soil tested and use the right amount of fertilizers.
• This prevents wastage of fertilizers and reduces production costs.

DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) Scheme

• A scheme is being implemented to send fertilizer subsidy directly to the accounts of farmers so that government assistance reaches the right beneficiaries and black marketing can be stopped.

Promotion of Bio fertilizers

• The government is encouraging farmers to use bio fertilizers such as rhizobium, azotobacter and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB).
• This reduces the consumption of chemical fertilizers and maintains soil fertility.