What is Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)?

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About Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP):

It is one of the most widely used fertilizers globally, providing essential nutrients—nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)—for plant growth.
It is the second most commonly used fertilizer in India after urea.
It is high in phosphorus (P) that stimulates root establishment and development-without which plants cannot grow to their normal size or will take too long to mature.
It’s highly soluble and thus dissolves quickly in soil to release plant-available phosphate and ammonium.
DAP has additional uses, including:
- o As a fire retardant. For example, a mixture of DAP and other ingredients can be spread in advance of a fire to prevent a forest from burning.
- o In various industrial processes, such as metal finishing.
- o An addition to wine to sustain yeast fermentation.
- o An addition to milk to produce cheese cultures.
- o It proves as a flux for soldering tin, copper, brass, and zinc.

Q1: What is the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme?

It was implemented in 2010 by the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. A fixed amount of subsidy decided on an annual basis, is provided on each grade of subsidized Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers depending on its Nutrient Content. In case of phosphate (P) and potassic(K) fertilisers, subsidy is fixed under this scheme by an inter-ministerial committee taking into account the benchmark international prices of finished fertilisers as well as raw materials. The subsidy is given to registered to P&K fertiliser manufacturers/importers which provides these fertilisers at subsidised rates to farmers.

Source: ET