SRINAGAR: The Union Government has informed Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir has adequate stocks of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) for the ongoing Kharif 2026 season and said there is no shortage of the key fertiliser, with supplies being monitored continuously through a nationwide digital tracking system.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel said the availability of DAP has remained adequate across the country during the current Kharif season due to advance planning, regular allocation to states, imports to bridge production gaps and continuous monitoring of stocks and movement.
According to the data placed before Parliament, Jammu and Kashmir had a DAP requirement of 0.18 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) between April 1 and August 3, 2026, while 0.29 LMT was made available. During the period, 0.20 LMT was sold through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, leaving a closing stock of 0.09 LMT, indicating availability exceeded both the projected requirement and actual sales.
The government said fertiliser demand is assessed before every cropping season by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in consultation with state governments. Based on these projections, the Department of Fertilisers issues monthly supply plans and monitors availability across states.
It added that the movement of subsidised fertilisers is tracked through the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS), an online platform that monitors stocks, transportation and sales in real time. State governments are also advised to coordinate with manufacturers and importers, while the Ministry of Railways provides priority for fertiliser movement.
On fertiliser prices, the government said urea continues to be supplied at the statutory maximum retail price of Rs 242 per 45-kg bag (excluding neem coating charges and applicable taxes), with the difference between production cost and market realisation borne by the Centre as subsidy.
For DAP, the government said additional financial support has been provided over and above the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) during the Kharif 2026 season to maintain the retail price at Rs 1,350 per 50-kg bag. This includes a special provision of Rs 3,500 per metric tonne to offset logistics and other costs.
The Centre also outlined measures to reduce dependence on fertiliser imports by expanding domestic production. It said six new urea plants commissioned under the New Investment Policy have increased India’s indigenous urea production capacity from 207.54 LMT in 2014-15 to 269.42 LMT in 2026-27. Two more urea projects are under implementation, while the recently approved National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 aims to encourage fresh investments and strengthen self-reliance in the sector.
The government further informed Parliament that total fertiliser subsidy expenditure stood at Rs 2.17 lakh crore in 2025-26, while Rs 90,187.42 crore had already been disbursed during the current financial year up to August 4, 2026.
