**Policy Summary: Promotion and Regulation of Fertilizers in India (August 8, 2025)**
This policy update from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers focuses on the management, promotion, and regulation of fertilizers, particularly Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Nano fertilizers, in India.
**Key Highlights:**
* **DAP Import and Availability:** Phosphatic Potassic (PK) fertilizers, including DAP, are under Open General License (OGL), allowing fertilizer companies to freely import and manufacture these fertilizers based on their business considerations.
* **DAP Sales and Imports:** DAP sales and import figures for the fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 are as follows:
* 2023-24: Point of Sale (PoS) sales of DAP totaled 109.72 LMT, with total imports reaching 56.71 LMT.
* 2024-25: PoS sales of DAP totaled 96.29 LMT, with total imports reaching 49.72 LMT.
* **Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme:** While fertilizer companies set the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for DAP under the NBS scheme, the government monitors these prices to ensure they remain reasonable. A special provision of Rs. 3500 per MT has been extended to both imported and domestic DAP and imported TSP for the Kharif 2025 season, covering factory-to-farm gate costs, fluctuations in international prices, GST, and a reasonable return (4% of net MRP).
* **Nano Fertilizer Promotion:** The government is actively promoting the development and adoption of innovative fertilizers, including nanofertilizers (e.g., Nano Urea), customized and fortified fertilizers (e.g., sulphur-coated urea, zinc-enriched DAP), biofertilizers, and slow/controlled-release formulations, to reduce import dependence and enhance nutrient use efficiency.
* **Nano Fertilizer Notifications:** Several Nano Nitrogen fertilizers have been notified under the Fertilizer Control Order, 1985, including:
* IFFCO's Nano Urea Plus (16% Nitrogen, notified April 15, 2024, via Gazette Notification S.O. 1801E).
* Zuari Farm Hub's Nano Urea (8%, notified March 2, 2023, via S.O. 1026E).
* Ray Nano Research Centre's Nano Urea (4.4%, notified March 6, 2023, via S.O. 1144).
* **Nano DAP Manufacturing Authorization:** IFFCO and CIL were authorized to manufacture Nano DAP via Gazette Notifications S.O. 1025E and S.O. 1026E dated March 2, 2023. Additionally, Nano DAP developed by Zuari Farm Hub Ltd. and Natural Plant Protection Limited has also been notified under the FCO via Gazette Notification S.O. 5077E dated 29th November 2023 and Gazette Notification S.O. 1785E dated 22nd April 2024, respectively.
* **Promotional Activities for Nano Fertilizers:** Various initiatives are underway to promote the use of Nano Fertilizers, including camps, webinars, nukkad nataks, field demonstrations, Kisan Sammelans, and film screenings in regional languages. Nano Fertilizers are available at Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSKs) and are included in the Department of Fertilizers' monthly supply plan.
* **Application Facilitation:** The policy supports foliar application through Kisan Drones and battery-operated sprayers. Pilot training and custom hiring spraying services through Village Level Entrepreneurs are also being promoted.
* **Maha Abhiyan:** The Department of Fertilizers (DoF), in collaboration with fertilizer companies, has launched a Maha Abhiyan for the adoption of Nano DAP across all 15 agro-climatic zones through stakeholder consultations and field-level demonstrations. A similar campaign for field demonstrations and awareness on Nano Urea Plus has been launched across 100 districts.
**Information Source:** This information was provided by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. Release ID: 2154208.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: The Indian government ministry responsible for the chemicals and fertilizers sector.
Di Ammonium Phosphate DAP: A type of phosphatic fertilizer, import and sale is under Open General License (OGL).
Open General License OGL: A license that allows the free import and export of goods without specific restrictions.
Department of Fertilizers DoF: A department responsible for managing the fertilizer sector in India.
Maha Abhiyan: A campaign launched by the Department of Fertilizers to promote the adoption of Nano DAP.
Fertilizer Control Order, 1985: An order by the Government of India to regulate the quality, distribution, and prices of fertilizers.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research ICAR: An autonomous organisation responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where information related to fertilizers was presented.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Import and Sale of DAP
Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers including Di-
Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) are under Open
General License (OGL)
The fertilizer companies are free to import /
manufacture these fertilizers as per their business
dynamics
Department of Fertilizers (DoF), in collaboration with
fertilizer companies, has launched a ‘Maha Abhiyan’
for the adoption of Nano DAP across all 15 agro-
climatic zones through stakeholder consultations and
field-level demonstrations
Posted On: 08 AUG 2025 5:10PM by PIB Delhi
Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers including Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) are under Open
General License (OGL). The fertilizer companies are free to import / manufacture these fertilizers as per
their business dynamics. The details of DAP imported and sold during 2023-24 and 2024-25 are as
under:
Year PoS sale of DAP (in LMT) Total Import (in LMT)
2023-
109.72 56.71
24
2024-
96.29 49.72
25
In October 2021 China amended its catalogue of commodities requiring mandatory additional inspection
prior to export of fertilizer-related items, including DAP.
Under NBS Scheme, MRP is fixed by fertilizer companies as per market dynamics at reasonable levelwhich is monitored by the Government. However, to ensure smooth and affordable supply, special
provisions like Rs. 3500 per MT to cover ‘Other Costs’ which includes costs incurred from factory gate
to farm gate, advantage / disadvantage due to increase / decrease in international prices, provision for
GST component included in the MRP and provision for reasonable return @ 4% of net MRP (MRP-
GST) have been extended to both imported and domestic DAP and imported TSP over and above NBS
subsidy for Kharif 2025 season.
To reduce import dependency and promote nutrient self-sufficiency, India is encouraging the
development and adoption of innovative fertilizers such as nano-fertilizers (e.g., nano-urea), customized
and fortified fertilizers (e.g., sulphur-coated urea, zinc-enriched DAP), biofertilizers, and slow- or
controlled-release formulations. These innovations enhance nutrient use efficiency, reduce application
rates, and minimize nutrient losses, thereby decreasing the demand for imported fertilizers. Government
of India, under the Fertilizer Control Order, 1985, has notified various Nano Nitrogen fertilizers. These
include IFFCO's Nano Urea Plus containing 16% nitrogen, notified on 15 April 2024 vide Gazette
Notification S.O. 1801(E); Zuari Farm Hub's Nano Urea (8%), notified on 2 March 2023 vide S.O.
1026(E); and Ray Nano & Research Centre's Nano Urea (4.4%), notified on 6 March 2023 vide S.O.
1144(Ε).
Similarly, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), through Gazette Notifications
S.O. 1025(E) and S.O. 1026(E) dated 2nd March 2023, authorized M/s IFFCO and CIL respectively to
manufacture Nano DAP. Additionally, Nano DAP developed by Zuari Farm Hub Ltd. has also been
notified under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) via Gazette Notification S.O. 5077(E) dated 29th
November 2023, while Nano DAP developed by Natural Plant Protection Limited was similarly notified
under the FCO through Gazette Notification S.O. 1785(E) dated 22nd April 2024.
To promote the use of Nano Fertilizers among farmers, a number of initiatives which include awareness
activities such as camps, webinars, (nukkad nataks, field demonstrations, Kisan Sammelans and
screening of films in regional languages have been undertaken. Nano Fertilizers, including Nano Urea,
are being made available at Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSKs) by the concerned
companies. Additionally, Nano Fertilizers have been included in the monthly supply plan issued
regularly by the Department of Fertilizers.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), through the Indian Institute of Soil
Science, Bhopal, has recently organized a national campaign on “Efficient and Balanced Use
of Fertilizers (including Nano-fertilizers).” For facilitating application through foliar application,
initiatives such as the use of ‘Kisan Drones’ and the distribution of battery-operated sprayers
at retail points have been undertaken. Pilot training and custom hiring spraying services
through Village Level Entrepreneurs are also being actively promoted.
Furthermore, the Department of Fertilizers (DoF), in collaboration with fertilizer companies,
has launched a ‘Maha Abhiyan’ for the adoption of Nano DAP across all 15 agro-climatic
zones through stakeholder consultations and field-level demonstrations. A campaign for field
demonstrations and awareness on Nano Urea Plus has also been launched across 100
districts in the country.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Smt Anupriya
Patel in Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question today.
*****
MV/GS
(Release ID: 2154208)