Non-urea fertiliser prices rise again, no relief for farmers in sight

Companies claim farmers could have been shielded if Centre had released additional subsidy during the year

Farmers facing the brunt of rising retail prices of non-urea fertilisers like di-ammonia phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MoP) and notrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) could have been saved had the Centre enhanced the quantum of subsidy allocated under the nutrient-based subsidy regime (NBS).

Increasing the subsidy on non-urea fertilisers along with compensating urea firms for rising pooled gas price could disturb the Centre’s fiscal maths. 

But given that the fertiliser prices have gone up in the rabi season as well, it’s a call which the government needs to take quickly. A decision before November-end could help in absorbing a part of