Over-application of fertilisers in India

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What is the current state of chemical fertiliser use in India?
• News Summary

Why in News?

• According to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) sales have increased recently, regardless of the rise or fall in the global fertiliser prices.
• Global fertiliser prices skyrocketed in the run-up to and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, but have since dropped significantly.

What is the current state of chemical fertiliser use in India?

The fertiliser industry in India

Fertilisers (organic/inorganic) are substances that provide one or more of the chemicals required for plant growth.

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• As per industry experts, out of the 16 elements necessary for plant growth, 9 elements are required in large quantities (major elements = primary and secondary), while the other 7 are needed in smaller amounts (minor elements). 
• Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are known as primary plant nutrients; 
• Calcium, magnesium and sulphur, as secondary nutrients; 
• Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and chlorine as trace elements or micro-nutrients. 
• The primary objective of this industry is to ensure the inflow of both primary and secondary elements as are necessary for crop production in the desired quantities.
• However, the sharp increase in the overall fertiliser requirement in the country during the last 5 years, have resulted in soil nutrient imbalances.

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• What is Inorganic or Chemical Fertiliser?
  • These fertilisers are usually derived from chemical compounds like potassium chloride, ammonium phosphates and ammonium nitrate. 
  • The requirement of 4 most used chemical fertilisers (Urea, DAP, MOP – Muriate of potash, NPKS – Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium), in the country increased by 21% in 2021-22 in comparison to 2017-18. 
  • Urea has 46% nitrogen (N), while DAP contains 46% phosphorus (P) plus 18% N and MOP has 60% potassium (K).

• What are the reasons for increased urea and DAP consumption?
  • High subsidy on urea, DAP is a less expensive alternative.
  • Thus, price determines the choice of fertilisers, rather than NPKS or other macro and micro nutrients in the fertiliser.

     

• Image Caption: Spike in chemical fertilizer requirement in India

News Summary

• Easing global prices of fertilisers – The opportunity for India
  • To significantly improve overall availability: This will reduce imports of both finished fertilisers and inputs for domestic manufacture.
  • Reduction in the Centre’s fertiliser subsidy outgo: For 2022-23, but the actual outgo could touch Rs 230,000 crore, over and above the Rs 153,658.11 crore spent in the previous fiscal. 
    • Assuming no new geopolitics-induced supply shocks and the government not allowing retail prices to farmers to rise, one can expect the subsidy bill to be within Rs 140,000-150,000 crore in the fiscal beginning April 2023.

• What are some initiatives to promote balanced fertilisers’ use in India?
  • Nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime (since 2010) in fertilisers: This is to discourage farmers from applying too much urea, DAP and MOP, by moving away from product-specific subsidy, to one where the government fixed a per-kg NBS rate for each nutrient (N, P, K and S).
  • Coating of urea with neem oil compulsory from 2015-16: This to check illegal diversion of the heavily-subsidised fertiliser for non-agricultural uses, including by plywood, dye, cattle feed and synthetic milk makers. 
    • Neem oil also acted as a mild nitrification inhibitor, allowing a more gradual release of nitrogen – increasing nitrogen use efficiency.

• What are the challenges in promoting balanced fertilisers’ use in India?
  • Imbalanced application: Since 2017-18, urea consumption has risen and the consumption of NPKS complexes in 2019-20 was lower than in 2011-12. 
    • Crop yields would suffer if the current NPK ratio (of 13:5:1) was used instead of the ideal 4:2:1.
  • Worsening of nutrition imbalances: Consumption of both urea and DAP has shot up, on the other hand, sales of NPKS complexes and MOP have plunged.
    • Because of the lack of a complete nutrient-mix, it will have a negative impact on plant and human health.

• The road ahead to prevent DAP becoming the next urea
  • Restrict DAP use to rice and wheat. All other crops can meet their P requirement through NPKS complexes. 
  • Raise single sulphur phosphate’s (SSP) acceptance by permitting sale only in granular, not powdered, form. SSP powder is prone to adulteration with gypsum or clay.
  • The ultimate aim should be to cap urea, DAP and MOP consumption.

Q1) What are the reasons for increased consumption of fertilisers in India?

High subsidy on urea, DAP is a less expensive alternative. Thus, price determines the choice of fertilisers, rather than NPKS or other macro and micro nutrients in the fertiliser.

Q2) What is the road ahead to prevent DAP becoming the next urea?

Restrict DAP use to rice and wheat. All other crops can meet their P requirement through NPKS complexes. Raise single sulphur phosphate’s (SSP) acceptance by permitting sale only in granular, not powdered, form. SSP powder is prone to adulteration with gypsum or clay. The ultimate aim should be to cap urea, DAP and MOP consumption

Source: What should the government do to correct the worsening nutrient imbalance from over-application of urea and DAP. ​​​​​​​