Government Strengthens Fertilizer Availability and Enforcement Measures
The Government of India has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure timely and adequate fertilizer availability to farmers while taking stringent action against black marketing, hoarding, diversion, and sale of sub-standard fertilizers. During 2025, authorities conducted 4,84,663 raids across the country, resulting in 17,392 show-cause notices, suspension or cancellation of 6,941 licenses, and registration of 847 FIRs against defaulters. The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare regularly follows up with State Governments to ensure strict enforcement and prevent malpractices.
Fertilizer Supply Management and Availability
A systematic mechanism ensures uninterrupted fertilizer supplies through state-wise and month-wise requirement assessments before each cropping season. The Department of Fertilizers allocates adequate quantities through monthly supply plans and tracks movement of all major subsidized fertilizers through the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS). For FY 2025-26, actual availability significantly exceeded requirements: urea availability reached 450.79 LMT against requirement of 381.45 LMT with DBT sales of 396.60 LMT; DAP availability was 121.72 LMT against requirement of 110.42 LMT with sales of 100.80 LMT; MOP availability stood at 30.58 LMT against requirement of 26.82 LMT with sales of 22.56 LMT; and NPKS availability reached 198.97 LMT against requirement of 158.49 LMT with sales of 150.37 LMT.
Affordability Measures and Subsidy Schemes
The Government maintains fertilizer affordability through two key schemes. The Urea Subsidy Scheme keeps the Maximum Retail Price of a 45 kg bag of urea at ₹242 per bag (exclusive of neem coating charges and applicable taxes), with the difference between delivered cost and market realization reimbursed to manufacturers/importers as subsidy. For Kharif 2026, the Government provides additional support of ₹3,500 per metric tonne over and above the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) to imported and domestic DAP and imported TSP to maintain DAP affordability at ₹1,350 per 50 kg bag. This additional support covers transportation costs, international price fluctuations, GST component included in the MRP, and a reasonable return of 4% of net MRP (excluding GST).
Guidelines issued on 18 January 2024 provide reasonable profit margins of 8% for importers, 10% for manufacturers, and 12% for integrated manufacturers. The NBS Scheme now covers 28 fertilizer grades, increased from 22 in 2021, and includes recognition for new manufacturing units and expansion of existing capacities. Freight subsidy on Single Super Phosphate (SSP) has been continued since Kharif 2022 to promote indigenous phosphatic fertilizers, with nutrient subsidy rates reviewed biannually.
Pesticide Quality and Residue Monitoring
The Government ensures availability of safe and quality pesticides through the Registration Committee under the Insecticides Act, 1968, which evaluates efficacy and safety before registration. The Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level (MPRNL) project, operational since 2005-06, utilizes 40 NABL-accredited laboratories to analyze samples of vegetables, fruits, spices, cereals, pulses, herbs, fish, marine products, meat, eggs, tea, milk, and water collected nationwide. Monthly reports on pesticide residues exceeding Maximum Residue Limits prescribed by FSSAI and cases of off-label pesticide use are shared with State Agricultural Departments to promote safe pesticide use and Integrated Pest Management practices.
Insecticide Inspectors regularly collect samples from manufacturing units and retail outlets for quality testing, with prosecution initiated against manufacturers or dealers where samples fail quality standards. To improve affordability and availability, the Registration Committee grants registrations for generic pesticides expeditiously with a registration fee of ₹25,000 under Section 9(4), compared to ₹2,25,000 under Section 9(3) of the Act.