Rs 14591.82 crore Urea imported in FY15 till 18 February 2015

Steps Being Taken for Adequate and Timely Supply of Fertilizers

Following steps have been taken for adequate and timely supply of fertilizers to the states:-

The month-wise demand is assessed and projected by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC) in consultation with the State Governments before commencement of each cropping season.

On the basis of month-wise & state-wise projection given by DAC, Department of Fertilizers allocates sufficient /adequate quantities of fertilizers to States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability through following system:

(i) The movement of all major subsidized fertilizers is being monitored throughout the country by an on-line web based monitoring system (www.urvarak.co.in) also called as Fertilizer Monitoring System (FMS);

(ii) The State Governments are regularly advised to coordinate with manufacturers and importers of fertilizers for streamlining the supplies through timely placement of indents for railway rakes through their state institutional agencies like Markfed etc.

(iii) Regular Weekly Video Conference is conducted jointly by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC), Department of Fertilizers (DoF), and Ministry of Railways with State Agriculture Officials and corrective actions are taken to dispatch fertilizer as indicated by the State.

The gap between demand (requirement) and production is met through import. The expenditure incurred on import of fertilizers during the last three years and current year upto 18.02.2015 is given below:

Year

Imported Urea

Imported P&K

2011-12 17475.00 16574.922012-13 20016.00 14576.102013-14 15353.30 13926.862014-15 (upto 18.02.2015) 14591.82 8477.99Rs crore

Further, fertilizers have been declared as Essential Commodities under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955. In order to ensure adequate availability of fertilizers at reasonable price to the farmers the Government of India under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act has promulgated the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) 1985. FCO empowers the State Governments to take appropriate action to curb black-marketing of fertilizers in their States. In addition, Department of Fertilizers has, from time to time, written to the Chief Secretaries, Ministry of Home Affairs to activate the enforcement agencies under their jurisdiction to take action in this regard. Further, Department of Fertilizers, through weekly video conference with Department of Agriculture & Cooperation and representatives of State Government has been sensitizing and advising the State Governments for keeping strict vigil and for taking of prompt action by the State Governments to check black-marketing.

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