Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers' response to questions regarding urea demand and supply during the current Kharif season, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. It details steps taken to prevent unfair procurement practices and ensure availability for small farmers. The data provided covers the period from April 1, 2025, to July 28, 2025. The document also addresses measures to prevent the diversion of subsidized urea and DAP stocks.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Urea Demand and Allocation:**
* Annexure provides state-wise data on urea demand, allocation/availability, and sales during the Kharif 2025 season (April 1, 2025 - July 28, 2025).
* Uttar Pradesh's urea demand was 22.53 LMT, with an allocation/availability of 31.87 LMT and sales of 22.66 LMT.
* The Department of Fertilizers ensures adequate fertilizer availability at the state level; district-level distribution is managed by state governments.
* **Preventing Unfair Procurement and Ensuring Availability:**
* Fertilizer allocation to private traders/cooperatives is managed by companies according to varying state government guidelines.
* The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW) assesses state-wise fertilizer requirements in consultation with state governments.
* The Department of Fertilizers allocates adequate fertilizer quantities to states based on projected requirements and monitors availability via monthly supply plans.
* The Integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System (iFMS) is used to monitor the movement of subsidized fertilizers.
* Weekly video conferences are held by DAFW and the Department of Fertilizers with state agriculture officials to address fertilizer dispatch.
* **Addressing Allocation Discrepancies:**
* No allocation discrepancies have been highlighted by any State government.
* **Preventing Diversion of Subsidized Fertilizers:**
* Fertilizer is classified as an essential commodity under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985, and the Fertilizer Movement Control Order, 1973.
* State governments have the power under FCO to prevent fertilizer diversion and penalize those involved, according to the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and FCO, 1985.
* A ceiling of 50 bags of subsidized fertilizers per buyer per month (600 bags per year) is in place.
* Monthly lists of 'Top 20 buyers' per district are available in the iFMS for district magistrates to take action.
Impact Analysis:
* **State Governments:**
* Impact: Responsible for district-level fertilizer distribution and empowered to prevent diversion.
* Action Required: Monitor fertilizer distribution within districts, take action against diversion, and highlight any allocation discrepancies to the central government.
* **Fertilizer Companies:**
* Impact: Responsible for allocating fertilizers to private traders/cooperatives as per state guidelines.
* Action Required: Adhere to state government guidelines for fertilizer allocation and ensure proper distribution.
* **Small and Marginal Farmers:**
* Impact: Intended beneficiaries of fair and timely fertilizer availability.
* Action Required: Report any instances of unfair procurement practices or non-availability of fertilizers to the appropriate authorities.
* **District Magistrates:**
* Impact: Responsible for monitoring fertilizer distribution and taking action against irregularities at the district level.
* Action Required: Review the monthly 'Top 20 buyers' list in iFMS and take necessary action to prevent fertilizer diversion.
Key Entities Referenced
Urea: A nitrogen-based fertilizer, the primary commodity discussed in the context of demand, allocation, and shortage.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned regarding urea demand and allocation.
Kharif season: The cropping season during which the urea demand and allocation are being assessed.
Department of Fertilizers: The department under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers responsible for ensuring adequate fertilizer availability.
Integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System IFMS: An online web-based monitoring system used to track the movement of subsidized fertilizers.
Fertilizer Control Order, 1985: A regulatory order under the Essential Commodities Act to control the quality, distribution, and pricing of fertilizers.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare DAFW: The department responsible for assessing the state-wise requirement of fertilizers in consultation with State Governments.
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: An act of Parliament of India that was enacted to control the production, supply and distribution of, and trade and commerce
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2189 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 01.08.2025
Shortage of Urea in Uttar Pradesh
2189: MS IQRA CHOUDHARY:
SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of urea demand and allocation during the current Kharif season
across the country, State/district-wise particularly in Uttar Pradesh;
(b) the steps taken by the Government to prevent exclusive or bulk procurement
of subsidized urea by private traders and for ensuring fair and timely availability to
small and marginal farmers;
(c) whether any allocation discrepancy has been identfied under the Integrated
Fertilizer Monitoring System (IFMS) in the State, if so, the corrective measures taken
by the Government to address it; and
(d) whether the Government has taken/plans to take any concrete steps to prevent
the diversion of subsidized urea and DAP stocks meant for farmers to unauthorized
private traders or bulk consumers and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) The information regarding demand, allocation/availability and sales of Urea
across the States, including the State of Uttar Pradesh, during the ongoing Kharif
2025 season (as on 28.07.2025) is placed at Annexure. Further, the mandate of
Department of Fertilizers is to ensure adequate availability of fertilizers at State level.
However, distribution of fertilizers within the State at district level is done by the State
governments.
(b) Allocation of fertilizers to the private traders/cooperative societies/Markfed etc
is done by the companies as per State government guidelines, which vary from State
to State.-2-
Further, following steps are taken by the Government every season for ensuring
timely and adequate availability of fertilizers in the country including small and
marginal farmers:
i. Before the commencement of each cropping season, Department of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), in consultation with all the State
Governments, assesses the state-wise & month-wise requirement of fertilizers.
ii. On the basis of requirement projected, D/o Fertilizers allocates adequate
quantities of fertilizers to States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously
monitors the availability.
iii. The movement of all major subsidized fertilizers is monitored throughout the
country by an on-line web-based monitoring system called integrated Fertilizer
Monitoring System (iFMS);
iv. Regular Weekly Video Conference is conducted jointly by DA&FW and D/o
Fertilizers with State Agriculture Officials and corrective actions are taken to dispatch
fertilizers as indicated by the State Governments.
(c) No such case has been highlighted by any State government.
(d) Fertilizer is declared as an essential commodity and is notified under Fertilizer
Control Order, 1985 and Fertilizer (Movement Control) Order, 1973. State
Governments are adequately empowered under FCO to stop diversion of fertilizers
and to take punitive action against any person / fertilizer company involved in diversion
of fertilizers by violating the provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and
Fertilizer Control Order 1985 (FCO).
However, Department of Fertilizers has put a ceiling of 50 bags of subsidized fertilizers
per buyer per month i.e. 600 bags of subsidized fertilizers per year. Additionally, a
monthly list of 'Top 20 buyers' of each district is made available in the iFMS log-in of
respective district magistrates for taking necessary action at their end.
*******ANNEXURE
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2189 to be
answered on 01.08.2025
DEMAND, ALLOCATION/AVAILABILITY & SALES OF UREA DURING ONGOING
FY 2025-26 (FROM 01.04.25 TO 28.07.25)
fig. in LMT
UREA
S.No State DEMAND ALLOCATION/AVAILABILITY DBT Sales
Andaman and Nicobar
1
Islands 0.00 0.01 0.00
2 Andhra Pradesh 2.89 5.69 3.38
3 Arunachal Pradesh 0.00 0.01 0.01
4 Assam 1.02 1.88 1.41
5 Bihar 4.75 7.11 3.58
6 Chandigarh 0.00 0.00 0.00
7 Chhattisgarh 5.85 6.53 5.28
8 Dadra and Nagar Haveli 0.00 0.00 0.00
9 Daman and Diu 0.00 0.00 0.00
10 Delhi 0.08 0.08 0.07
11 Goa 0.01 0.01 0.01
12 Gujarat 7.34 7.34 6.05
13 Haryana 6.78 9.34 8.50
14 Himachal Pradesh 0.17 0.43 0.26
15 Jammu and kashmir 0.67 1.19 0.69
16 Jharkhand 1.01 1.32 0.84
17 Karnataka 6.59 8.90 7.60
18 Kerala 0.35 0.54 0.38
19 Lakshadweep 0.00 0.00 0.00
20 Madhya Pradesh 9.76 13.63 11.56
21 Maharashtra 10.05 14.46 10.94
22 Manipur 0.10 0.09 0.07
23 Meghalaya 0.02 0.02 0.02
24 Mizoram 0.05 0.10 0.09
25 Nagaland 0.00 0.01 0.00
26 Odisha 2.71 4.02 2.36
27 Puducherry 0.04 0.06 0.05
28 Punjab 13.49 15.70 13.10
29 Rajasthan 6.04 9.24 7.20
30 Sikkim 0.00 0.00 0.00
31 Tamil Nadu 2.62 4.48 3.38
32 Telangana 6.45 6.47 4.99
33 Tripura 0.05 0.12 0.05
34 Uttarakhand 0.69 0.98 0.86
35 Uttar Pradesh 22.53 31.87 22.66
36 West Bengal 3.80 6.71 3.09
All India 115.91 158.34 118.47
1. Primary Indicator of comfortable availability: Allocation/Availability > Demand
2. Secondary Indicator of comfortable availability: Allocation/Availability > Sales