Paradip, March 6 Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated a new sulphuric acid plant of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited at Paradip in the Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, saying the project would boost India’s fertiliser production capacity.
The new plant at Paradip, built at a cost of Rs 750 crore, will help enhance the fertiliser production capacity of IFFCO and contribute to the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India), Shah said.
The plant has a production capacity of 2,000 metric tonnes per day and uses technology aimed at significantly reducing pollution, he said.
Stating that IFFCO is an example of a successful cooperative movement, Shah said five crore farmers are the owners of the organisation.
"Whatever IFFCO earns, its benefits reach five crore farmers of the country. That is its greatest strength. Wherever its office may be, the true owner of IFFCO is the farmer of our nation," the Union minister said.
Shah said the IFFCO Paradip expansion would also support India’s push toward self-reliance in fertiliser production.
"This expansion at the IFFCO Paradip facility would help reduce India’s dependence on imported raw materials used in fertilisers," he said.
Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said self-reliance does not only mean manufacturing fertilisers but also producing all the raw materials required within the country.
"This will work towards significantly reducing India’s dependence on imports," he said.
The minister also urged IFFCO authorities not to remain complacent about achieving nil imports for the organisation, but to ensure that the plant helps the country stop importing sulphuric acid used in fertiliser production.
Shah said when IFFCO took over the Paradip plant from a private owner, its annual production capacity was about 7.5 lakh metric tonnes.
"Now it has crossed 22 lakh MT and is producing blended fertiliser and indigenous DAP (Diammonium phosphate). IFFOC’s profit now stands at Rs 3,800 crore," he said.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and state minister Sampad Chandra Swain were also present at the programme.