Pawar urges fertiliser industry to provide fertilisers at reasonable prices

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday urged the fertiliser industry to ensure timely availability of quality fertilisers at reasonable prices to farmers.

He also asked the industry not to approach the farmers as mere customers but provide them knowledge and value added services.

Pawar was speaking at the Annual Seminar of the Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) in New Delhi.

While expressing satisfaction at the adequate available of fertilisers, Pawar highlighted the deteriorating health of Indian soils due to imbalanced use of fertilisers.

He informed that his ministry has simplified procedure for approval of new products under the Fertiliser Control Order.

Some of the recently approved innovative fertiliser products fortified with secondary and micronutrients include sulphur coated urea, urea briquettes, SSP fortified with Zinc and DAP and NPK complex fertilisers fortified with Boron and Zinc.

His ministry was running a number of schemes to promote balanced use of nutrients, he said.

Pawar also shared the fertiliser industry's concerns such as delay in payment of subsidy and freight bills.

Fertiliser Minister Srikant Jena also addressed the seminar.