Fertiliser Subsidy

From fertiliser subsidies and Russian oil tariffs to regulatory independence, rural water reforms and the politics of interfaith marriage, here are today's top Opinion pieces.

India's new urea policy boosts domestic production, but leaves unresolved the subsidy imbalance driving overuse, soil degradation and rising fertiliser costs

The government has mobilised ₹20,274 crore via PSU divestment in FY27, the highest so far since FY23 when it raised ₹35,294 crore.

Market watchers say the reason for the drop in prices was China's big re-entry into world fertiliser markets

The recent import tender opened few days back though shows that there could come relief finally round the corner but how much will that be remains to be seen. In 2024-25

The government on Thursday asserted that the fertilisers stocks in the country is comfortable to meet the demand for the ongoing kharif season and said the subsidy estimates for the current fiscal could be reassessed considering the softening of urea prices in the global markets. At an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Aparna S Sharma, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, said, "The stock position of fertilisers in the country is comfortable. India's fertilizer security remains as strong as ever." Asked whether the Rs 3.4 lakh crore fertiliser subsidy estimates for 2026-27 would be revised downward due to a fall in global prices, she said the preliminary subsidy estimate was based on the presumption that the trend remains the same. "But, as a result of the recent tender that has been done on behalf of the government by our one of our entities will definitely have cause to reassess the subsidy figures, and we will have

Today's Opinion page examines fertiliser subsidy reform, urban governance failures, market regulation, industrial financing and antibiotic resistance through the lens of institutional accountability

Rising global fertiliser prices and support extended to oil retailers are squeezing fiscal space, though the government says its capital expenditure plans remain unchanged

The move is projected to save the exchequer more than ₹10,500 crore annually in subsidies, based on conservative estimates and assuming an average imported urea price of $345 per tonne

Balanced nutrient use, biofertilisers, and improved soil health can help India cut fertiliser imports and make agriculture more sustainable without hurting crop production

Krishna Kant Pathak, joint secretary in the Department of Fertilisers said that to solve the problem, India should now start looking at solutions

If the actual subsidy numbers come close to the current estimates, this would mean that India's FY27 fertiliser subsidy could be among the highest in recent years

The government's fertiliser subsidy bill for 2026-27 may surge by Rs 70,000 crore to Rs 2.41 lakh crore, driven by rising import costs of urea and other fertilisers amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, a senior official said on Monday. Aparna S Sharma, Additional Secretary, Department of Fertilisers, on the sidelines of inter-ministerial briefing on West Asia developments, said, "The subsidy bill will go up, but what percentage is something I cannot say." On whether the increase could be as much as Rs 70,000 crore, she said, "may be." The budgetary allocation for fertiliser subsidies in 2026-27 stands at Rs 1.71 lakh crore. Despite the cost pressures, Sharma said fertiliser availability for the 2026 kharif season remains "comfortable", with stocks exceeding 51 per cent of the total requirement of 390 lakh tonne, the gap being bridged through diversified import sourcing. Current fertiliser stocks stand at 200.9 lakh tonne, she said. Domestic production is running at approximately 80

Traders said a beginning in this regards were made last week when IPL issued a tender to import 1.6 million tonnes of DAP and TSP (Triple Super Phosphate) on behalf of the industry

The jump in subsidies is expected as the country plans to import 6.4 million tonnes of urea and 1.9 million tonnes of other fertilisers this kharif season at high prices

Rising import costs are likely to increase India's fertiliser subsidies to companies for selling crop nutrients to farmers below market prices

From the setback to the women's quota Bill and rising fertiliser subsidies to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, here is a curated selection of Business Standard's top Opinion pieces today

Rising fertiliser subsidy exposes distortions in urea pricing, fuelling overuse and fiscal strain, highlighting need for direct farmer support and subsidy reform

India's fertiliser subsidy has exceeded FY26 Revised Estimates, prompting experts to call for policy reforms, including rational pricing, curbs on overuse, and bringing urea under the NBS regime

India's fertiliser subsidy breached FY26 estimates before the West Asia crisis, with rising imports and consumption set to push the bill higher