What is Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)?

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

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