Nano urea demand pegged at 2.36 mn bottles for rabi season; max in UP

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The country's nano urea requirement for the ongoing 2024-25 rabi season is estimated at 2.36 crore bottles of 500 ml each, with Uttar Pradesh leading the demand, government data shows.

The maximum requirement is from Uttar Pradesh at 43.38 lakh bottles, followed by Maharashtra (34.7 lakh bottles) and Punjab (20.82 lakh bottles).

Haryana and Karnataka are estimated to require 17.35 lakh bottles each, while Rajasthan needs 15.01 lakh bottles and Madhya Pradesh 12.54 lakh bottles for this season.

However, no requirement has been reported from Gujarat, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, and Andaman & Nicobar.

The country currently has six operational nano urea plants with a combined annual capacity of 27.22 crore bottles.

Three plants were commissioned in 2024 -- Meghmani Crop Nutrition's plant with a capacity of 5 crore bottles, Zuari Farm Hub and Coromandel International Ltd facilities with capacities of 0.12 crore bottles and 0.60 crore bottles, respectively.

IFFCO, a cooperative fertilizer company, operates the remaining three plants, commissioned between 2021 and 2023. These include India's first nano urea plant at Kalol, Gujarat, with a 5 crore bottle capacity, and facilities at Phulpur and Aonla in Uttar Pradesh.

The government is promoting the establishment of additional nano urea plants to boost domestic production.

The rabi season, which begins sowing in October and harvests from April onwards, primarily produces wheat, barley, gram, and rapeseed mustard.