GoM clears the New Urea Policy

25 Feb 2012 Evaluate

The group of ministers (GoM), headed by the Finance Minister, that met on Friday to discuss the new urea policy has approved the same. The new investment policy is aimed at stepping up domestic production of urea as the demand for the fertilizer is expected to fall short of its production in the coming months. The policy is also expected to help reduce the subsidy burden of the government.

India has urea consumption of around 28 million tonnes at present, of which 22 million tonnes is domestically produced and 7MT is imported. Also there has not been fresh Greenfield (new plant) investment in urea for over 13 years.

Keeping in view the widening demand-supply gap of urea and the lack of investment, the government in 2010 had decided to frame a new policy. Last year, the Committee of Secretaries (CoS), headed by Planning Commission member Soumitra Choudhary, was set up to advice the government on measures to help build capacity in the urea sector. The policy had been hanging so far due to lack of consensus over certain issues. However on Friday, the GoM cleared it albeit with a few changes.

As per the new policy, subsidy on natural gas, the main feeder stock of manufacturing plants accounting for 80% of the production cost, will be provided by the government within the range of $6.5-$14 million metric British thermal units (mmBtu). This incentive will be given to companies for setting up greenfield (new plants) and brownfield (expansion of existing plants) facilities, besides reviving sick units. For the purpose of subsidy, the floor and ceiling cost of production for greenfield investments has been fixed at $310 and $340 a tonne, respectively and for brownfield expansion, the floor and ceiling costs have been kept at $290 and $320 a tonne, respectively.

Further as per the new policy, the government offers subsidy only when the cost of production remains within the stipulated band. Since the band has now been narrowed (as compared to the 2008 policy) by raising the floor and reducing the ceiling, the government hopes to save on its subsidy bill. However, the brownfield expansions made under the 2008 policy will continue to get subsidy under those rules only.

The exact impact of the policy on subsidy outgo will depend on the price of gas at the time production begins from new investments. This financial year, the fertiliser burden is expected to cross Rs 90,000 crore, against nearly Rs 49,000 crore estimated in the Budget.

The draft policy will now go to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for final clearance.

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