New Delhi, March 10 – The Union Government is protecting Indian farmers from fluctuations in the international market by ensuring the availability of key fertilizers at affordable prices for the ongoing 2025-26 Rabi season, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.
In a comprehensive update on the fertilizer sector, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers announced that the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) has been maintained at a stable Rs 1,350 per 50 kg bag.
To achieve this price stability for DAP, the government has implemented special provisions of Rs 3,500 per metric tonne (MT) to cover other costs, including logistics from factory to farm gate, GST components, and a guaranteed 4 per cent reasonable return for manufacturers. This move ensures that despite shifts in global prices, the financial burden does not shift to the farmer, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.
As of March 5, the availability of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilizers has remained adequate across the country. Nationwide data indicate that the availability of DAP stands at 71.89 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) against a pro-rata requirement of 51.38 LMT, while the availability of MOP is recorded at 18.17 LMT against a requirement of 14.18 LMT. In the case of NPKS, the total availability is at 108.39 LMT, which significantly exceeds the pro-rata requirement of 76.48 LMT.
The Ministry utilizes the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS), an online web-based platform, to monitor the movement of all subsidized fertilizers in real-time. This is supported by close coordination with the Ministry of Railways to prioritize rake movement and ensure timely evacuation of stocks to various states.
Promoting balanced nutrition under the revised Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) framework, the government has incorporated additional fertilizer grades such as 10:26:26 and 12:32:16. By providing subsidies based on the specific nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and Potash (K) content, the NBS policy empowers farmers to choose nutrients based on specific crop and soil requirements, the minister said.
The average retail prices for other key grades (per 50 kg bag) for the 2025-26 period are: NPK 10-26-26: Rs 1,814.82, NPK 12-32-16: Rs 1,711.87 and muriate of potash (MOP): Rs 1,710.54
This strategic framework not only facilitates balanced nutrient application but also aims to reduce the excessive reliance on urea, thereby preserving soil health, the minister said.