Agri Ministry flags sharp rise in urea, DAP use in several states
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has raised concerns over the sharp rise in the consumption of urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) during the ongoing rabi season (2024-25) across multiple states, including Haryana, Gujarat, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and J&K.
Action taken so far
- Nine FIRs registered in Haryana for fertiliser violations
- 50 licences suspended, 13 cancelled and 11 warnings issued
- NPK consumption tripled from 26,000 MT to 66,000 MT
- Districts with highest urea rise: Charkhi Dadri (107%), Yamunanagar (32%) and Sonepat (30%)
- Highest DAP increase: Charkhi Dadri (184%), Mahendragarh (65%) and Yamunanagar (55%)
Both urea and DAP are crucial for agricultural productivity and need to be imported to meet domestic demand. In a letter dated February 12 to Haryana’s Chief Secretary, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi highlighted that fertiliser consumption in some districts had significantly exceeded not only the assessed monthly requirement but also the previous year’s usage. “Also, in some districts of your state, there was a very high consumption in comparison to the average consumption of the state and there is also an imbalanced use of fertiliser,” he wrote.
According to ministry data, Haryana’s urea usage in the 2024-25 rabi season has increased by 18% compared to the average of the past three years. The state consumed 11,07,205 metric tonnes (MT) of urea this season, up from the previous three-year average of 9,40,549 MT. Districts with the highest increases include Charkhi Dadri (107%), Yamunanagar (32%) and Sonepat (30%).
Other states have also seen a sharp rise. Jharkhand recorded a 35% increase in urea consumption, followed by Chhattisgarh (37%), J&K (24%), Karnataka (20%), Bihar (17%) and Gujarat (2%).
Similarly, DAP consumption in Haryana surged from an average of 2,75,934 MT in the past three years to 3,25,416 MT in 2024-25, marking an 18% rise. Some districts saw even higher spikes, with Charkhi Dadri recording a 184% jump, followed by Mahendragarh (65%), Yamunanagar (55%), Ambala (48%), Panchkula (39%), Rewari (34%), and Jhajjar (30%). Among other states, Chhattisgarh saw a 30% increase in DAP usage, Gujarat 25%, and Bihar 17%.
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers also flagged this issue in January, prompting Haryana to investigate potential diversions. A letter from Director Agriculture, Rajnarayan Kaushik, acknowledged the possibility of urea being diverted to industries. “There are nine FIRs registered in the state, 50 licences suspended, 13 licences cancelled, and 11 warnings issued against violations of the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985,” he stated.
Another factor driving increased usage is farmers’ fertiliser practices. “For in situ management of paddy stubble, farmers are now using 25-45 kg of urea per acre,” Kaushik wrote in a letter to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers. Additionally, NPK fertiliser consumption rose from 26,000 MT last year to 66,000 MT this season. Since NPK has a lower nitrogen content than DAP, farmers have been using additional urea to compensate for the nitrogen shortfall.
Farmers also attribute the increase to high-nitrogen wheat varieties. “Wheat varieties like WH 1270 and DBW 187, 303 and 327 require 1.5 times more nitrogen to achieve good yield compared to previous varieties. However, unaware farmers use more urea in anticipation of a higher yield,” said Prince Waraich, a farmer from Pehowa, Kurukshetra. These varieties now cover an estimated 2.50 lakh acres in Haryana.
Inter-state fertiliser movement has further contributed to higher sales. “Fertiliser is being transported to districts adjoining Haryana, particularly those in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and is also being diverted to the plywood industry,” claimed Rakesh Bains, media coordinator of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni group).
