Categories: Economy

Fertilizer Subsidy Doubles As Prices Surge

To insulate farmers from the sharp increases in the prices, the Centre announced a doubling of fertiliser subsidy to Rs 2.15 trillion from the budgeted level for FY23. The move was necessitated by a sharp spike in global prices of urea, DAP and MoP in the last one year.

Bank Maha Pack includes Live Batches, Test Series, Video Lectures & eBooks

What The Govt Said:

“Despite rising fertiliser prices globally, we have protected our farmers from such price hikes. In addition to the fertiliser subsidy of Rs 1.05 trillion in the Budget, an additional amount of Rs 1.10 trillion is being provided to further cushion our farmers,” the Finance Minister said.

About The Trend:

The Centre said the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) rates for phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the kharif season (April-September, 2022) will be Rs 60,939 crore, as against Rs 57,150 crore for the whole of last year. These soil nutrients are largely imported.

The budget outgo on fertiliser subsidy was at Rs 1.6 trillion in FY22. Retail prices of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers, including DAP were ‘decontrolled’ in 2010 with the introduction of a ‘fixed-subsidy’ regime as part of NBS mechanism. However, the subsidy on DAP saw an increase to 60% of cost in FY22, from a little over 30% previously.

According to fertiliser ministry data, imported urea prices have risen by more than 145% to $930 a tonne in April 2022 from $380 a tonne a year ago. Similarly, prices of DAP and MoP have risen by 66% and 116% to $924 a tonne and $590 a tonne in April 2022, respectively, compared to the year-ago period.

Main Cause:

Amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the price of pooled gas has risen 10% quarter-on-quarter in September 2022. The earlier expectation was prices would soften gradually. Each dollar’s increase in the price of pooled gas raises the government’s subsidy burden by 7,000 crore on domestically produced urea, which accounts for 85% of the production volume,” the report said quoting Naveen Vaidyanathan, Director, CRISIL Ratings.

Find More News on Economy Here

 

Piyush Shukla

Recent Posts

Exploring Bondi Beach: Sun, Surf and Sydney Culture

Bondi Beach is one of Australia’s most recognisable and loved coastal destinations. Located just minutes…

4 hours ago

WWE Icon John Cena Retires After 20-Year Career

As one of the all-time great WWE superstars, John Cena officially retired from in-ring competition…

5 hours ago

ISRO Projects Seven Launches Including Uncrewed Gaganyaan Mission by March 2026

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has revealed plans for no less than seven space…

5 hours ago

Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary: Location, Species, and Latest Developments

The Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam has recently come into focus due to successful community-led…

5 hours ago

MRF Tyres Bags 2025 FIA European Rally Championship Title

India’s presence in global motorsport technology received a major boost as MRF Tyres clinched the…

5 hours ago

NTPC, NETRA and CSIR Scientist Receive Awards for Technological Innovations

India's push towards meeting its increasing energy demands while ensuring long-term sustainability received a boost…

5 hours ago