**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 108, regarding the shortfall in the supply of fertilizers in Tamil Nadu during the 2025 Kharif and Rabi seasons. The response, dated February 6, 2026, addresses concerns about fertilizer availability, allocation, spurious fertilizers, quality control, and measures to ensure adequate supply.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Fertilizer Availability:**
* Availability of Urea, DAP, MOP, and NPKS remained adequate in Tamil Nadu during Kharif 2025 and ongoing Rabi 2025-26 seasons.
* Tables provide details on the requirement, pro-rata requirement, availability, sales, and closing stock of Urea, DAP, MOP, and NPKS for both Rabi 2025-26 and Kharif 2025.
* **Quality Control and Enforcement:**
* The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) administers the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO), 1985, which prohibits the manufacture/sale of non-standard fertilizers.
* State Governments are empowered to enforce FCO and take action against violations.
* Penalties for violations include imprisonment, cancellation/suspension of authorization, and fines.
* Since April 2025, significant enforcement actions have been taken, including raids, show cause notices, license suspensions/cancellations, and FIRs.
* **Spurious Fertilizer Seizures:**
* Information on the seizure of spurious or sub-standard fertilizers is provided for both Non-Delta and Delta districts in Tamil Nadu, including details on the venue inspected, name of the defaulter, quantity of fertilizer seized, and FIR number/date.
* **Government Measures for Fertilizer Availability:**
* DA&FW assesses state-wise and month-wise fertilizer requirements in consultation with State Governments before each cropping season.
* The Department of Fertilizers allocates adequate quantities based on projected requirements and monitors availability.
* The movement of subsidized fertilizers is tracked using the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS).
* State Governments are advised to coordinate with manufacturers and importers.
* Distribution within the state at the district level is managed by the concerned State Government.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Farmers in Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact:** Ensures timely and adequate availability of fertilizers to support agricultural production and protects them from spurious fertilizers.
* **Action Required:** Adhere to recommended fertilizer practices and report any suspected issues with fertilizer quality to state authorities.
**Stakeholder: State Government of Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact:** Responsible for ensuring the availability of quality fertilizers to farmers and enforcing the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO).
* **Action Required:** Continue to take necessary action as per the Essential Commodities Act, monitor fertilizer quality, coordinate with manufacturers/importers, and implement the iFMS.
**Stakeholder: Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for assessing state-wise fertilizer requirements and administering the FCO.
* **Action Required:** Continue to assess fertilizer requirements, allocate adequate quantities to states, monitor availability, and coordinate with State Governments.
Key Entities Referenced
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: Act under which the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO),1985 is regulated.
Tamil Nadu: The state where fertilizer supply shortfalls are reported and where spurious fertilizers were seized.
Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO),1985: Administered by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), it prohibits the manufacture/sale of fertilizer which are not of prescribed standards.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW): Administers the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO),1985 and assesses the State-wise & month-wise requirement of fertilizers.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: The ministry responsible for answering the parliamentary question about fertilizer supply in Tamil Nadu.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.108* TO BE ANSWERED ON: 06.02.2026
Shortfall in Supply of Fertilizers in Tamil Nadu
108*: DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that Tamil Nadu faced shortfalls in fertilizer supply during the
2025 Kharif and Rabi seasons, including a gap between urea requirement and
allocation, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the quantum of urea and other fertilizers allocated and supplied to Tamil Nadu
during 2025 and the reasons for any shortfall against the assessed demand;
(c) whether the Government is aware of seizure of spurious or sub-standard
fertilizers reported in parts of Tamil Nadu, including delta districts, if so, the
details thereof;
(d) the steps taken by the Union Government to strengthen monitoring, quality
control and enforcement against fake fertilizers; and
(e) the measures proposed to ensure timely and adequate availability of fertilizers
to farmers in the State of Tamil Nadu during forthcoming agricultural seasons?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER FOR CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.
*******-2-
STATEMENT REFERRED TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 108* FOR
06.02.2026 REGARDING “SHORTFALL IN SUPPLY OF FERTILIZERS IN TAMIL
NADU” TABLED BY DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN.
(a) & (b) The availability of fertilizers viz. Urea, DAP, MOP and NPKS has
remained adequate in the State of Tamil Nadu during the Kharif 2025 and ongoing
Rabi 2025-26 seasons. The information regarding requirement, availability, sales and
closing stocks of these fertilizers in the State of Tamil Nadu during Kharif 2025 and
ongoing Rabi 2025-26 is as under:
FERTILIZER POSITION FOR RABI 2025-26 (TILL 02/02/26)
FIG. IN LMT
PRO-RATA SALES CLOSING
AVAILABILITY
S. REQUIREMENT REQ. 01/10/25 STCOK
Product 01/10/25 TO
No RABI 2025-26 01/10/25 TO TO AS ON
02/02/26
02/02/26 02/02/26 02/02/26
1 UREA 6.50 4.97 6.06 4.77 1.29
2 DAP 1.55 1.26 1.89 1.25 0.64
3 MOP 1.80 1.38 1.27 0.80 0.47
4 NPKS 5.14 4.01 5.58 3.69 1.89
1. Primary Indicator of comfortable availability: Availability > Requirement
2. Secondary Indicator of comfortable availability: Availability > Sales
FERTILIZER POSITION FOR KHARIF 2025
FIG. IN LMT
S. CLOSING
Product REQUIREMENT AVAILABILITY SALES
No. STOCK
1 UREA 4.37 6.07 5.06 1.01
2 DAP 1.40 2.01 1.29 0.72
3 MOP 0.80 1.34 0.96 0.38
4 NPKS 4.11 5.49 3.91 1.58
1. Primary Indicator of comfortable availability: Availability > Requirement
2. Secondary Indicator of comfortable availability: Availability > Sales
(c) & (d) In order to ensure availability of quality fertilizers, the Department of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is administering the Fertilizer (Inorganic,
Organic or Mixed) Control Order (FCO),1985 under the Essential Commodities Act,
1955 respectively. FCO, 1985 strictly prohibits the manufacture/sale of fertilizer which
are not of prescribed standards. Under FCO, State Governments are the enforcement
authority empowered to take action against violation. It is the responsibility of the
States to ensure quality fertilizers are available to farmers. Accordingly, State
authorities take necessary action as per the Essential Commodities Act as the case
may be. Any violation of the provision of the Fertilizer (Control) Order invokes both
administrative action such as Cancellation & Suspension of Authorization letter and-3-
Penal action under the Essential Commodities Act of punishment for a period of three
months to seven years. The Government of India in coordination with the State
Government is regularly monitoring the enforcement action taken by State Government
against the cases of Black marketing, Hoarding, Sub-standard and Diversion on
weekly basis. Since April 2025, 4,11,350 raids have been conducted with 15024 show
cause notices issued, 6510 licenses suspended/cancelled and 783 FIRs registered
against defaulters in the country. In case of Tamil Nadu, 20727 raids have been
conducted with 165 show cause notices issued, 50 licenses suspended/cancelled and
5 FIRs registered against defaulters during the same time period.
Further, as informed by the State Government of Tamil Nadu, the information regarding
seizure of spurious or sub-standard fertilizers reported from various parts of the State,
including the delta districts, is as under:
Non-Delta Districts :
Sr. Venue Inspected Name of the defaulter Qty of fertilizer seized FIR No. & Date
No. (MT)
1. Tlialaivasal, Salem 1. Anguraj Raman 1 MT 216
2. Prasanth
3. Balaji 19.06.2025
4. Soundharajan
2. Erode, Bhavani Bai Alias Ahmed 1. Urea - 182.0 MT 48
C-MettupaIayam Ali 2. CompIex- 2.9 MT
15.02.2025
3. Thoothukudi, Not Known Urea - 600 MT 38
Thozhirpettai
20.01.2025
Delta Districts:
Sr. Venue Inspected Name of the defaulter Qty of fertilizer seized FIR No. & Date
No. (MT)
1. Tiruvarur, Kottur 1. Sakthivel DAP - 1.2 MT 243
2. Chandhirasekar
19.11.2025
2. Thanjavur, Kottai- Palli Anantharaj Alias Ananth 24.75 MT 253
Agraharam, Vadakku
26.06.2025
3. Farm Agro Chemicals, Vasanth Bio Stimulant - 36.11 MT 783
Thanjavur,
17.11.2025
(e) Following steps are taken by the Government every season for ensuring timely
and adequate availability of fertilizers across the States, including the State of Tamil
Nadu:-4-
(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 by DA&FW, 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
Management System (iFMS).
(iv) The State Governments are regularly advised to coordinate with manufacturers
and importers for streamlining the supplies through timely placement of indents.
(v) However, the distribution of fertilizers within the State at district level is done by
the concerned State government.
*******