Search, seize to ensure fertiliser sale at new rates: Centre

Amid complaints that farmers in some parts are not getting non-urea fertilisers at reduced rates, the Centre today said state governments have been told to conduct "search and seizure" of fertiliser dealers to ensure they sell the nutrients at new rates.
On July 5, the Centre had announced cut in retail price of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) by Rs 2,500 to Rs 22,000 per tonne, Muriate of Potash (MoP) by Rs 5,000 to Rs 11,000 per tonne and NPK nutrients by Rs 1,000 per tonne.
"We have reduced the prices of DAP, MoP and NPK. Ultimately, states have to enforce the Essential Commodities (EC) Act. I have sent letter to the states to enforce EC Act. They should conduct search and seizure so that fertiliser dealers follow the new rates," Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar said during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.

Not only two PSUs -- National Fertiliser Ltd and Rastriya Chemicals Fertilsier, but all private fertiliser companies had given an undertaking to the government that they will bring down the prices of non-urea nutrients, he said.
Non-urea fertiliser prices have been reduced for the first time in last 15 years taking into account the falling global prices, Kumar said replying to a supplementary query.
While DAP, MoP and NPK are decontrolled fertilisers whose maximum retail price (MRP) are determined by manufacturers, the government offers fixed subsidy every year. Urea price is controlled by the government and its MRP currently stands at Rs 5,300/tonne.

On an average, the domestic demand of DAP is 100 lakh tonnes, MoP 25 lakh tonnes and NPK fertiliser 90 lakh tonnes.