No Proposal To Increase Urea Prices: Govt

The government has said there is no proposal to increase urea prices and the subsidy to farmers will continue. Chemicals and Fertilizer Minister Ananth Kumar also said in the Lok Sabha that the government would ensure there is abundant supply of urea at subsidised rates.

Kumar said while the demand for urea is 31 million tonne, only 22 million tonnes is produced in the country and the rest needs to be imported. The government is in the process of acquiring assets in various countries like Russia and Canada so that self-reliance can be achieved. He also emphasised on the need to educate farmers to use micro-nutrients and shift to organic manure.

He said that month-wise demand is assessed and projected by the Department of Agriculture before the commencement of each cropping season. The Fertilizer Department allocates ample quantity of fertilizer to states by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability, he added.