Subsidy on DAP, MoP slashed by 15% effective April 2013

02 May 2013 Evaluate

In an attempt to rein in the surging fiscal deficit, the government has decided to slash subsidies on phosphate and potash-based fertilizers by about 15% in the fiscal year that began in April. Subsidies for diammonium phosphate (DAP) have been cut by 14% from a year ago to Rs 12,350 per tonne for 2013/14, and for muriate of potash (MoP) by 21.5% to Rs 11,300 per tonne.

The final subsidy cuts will depend on total consumption in the current fiscal year. The cut for the second year in a row will limit Indian fertiliser companies' ability to pass on falls in global fertiliser prices to local farmers and thereby stem any rebound in consumption of potash and phosphate based fertilisers which fell by nearly 30% last year.

Further, the Department of Fertilisers will put in place a mechanism to ensure that the lower MRP is fixed by the fertiliser manufacturer and benefit of the reduction in international prices and benefit in reduction in MRP is actually transferred to farmer. In last financial year, the government earmarked Rs 30,576 crore to subsidise phosphate and potash-based fertilisers.

This move will also limit India's import of potash and phosphate, since India imports all its potash and also buys about 90% of its phosphate from overseas. India imported MoP at an average price of $490 a tonne last year, whereas prices of DAP hovered around $580 per tonne. This year India is buying MoP at $427 a tonne, while global DAP prices have fallen to about $525 a tonne.

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