Telangana urges Centre to adjust fertilizer prices for balanced use
Telangana state asks the Centre to rationalise fertilizer prices to curb excessive urea use and restore soil balance. Data cited shows urea consumption rising from 2015-16 to 2025-26 and soil nutrient ratios deviating from recommendations.
Key takeaways
- Telangana's agriculture minister called for central price rationalisation of fertilisers to promote balanced nutrient use.
- Urea use has risen from 2015-16 to 2025-26, while soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratios deviate from recommendations.
- Prices cited for urea, DAP, and complex fertilisers illustrate current price gaps influencing farmer purchases and application patterns.
What Happened
At a meeting in Hyderabad, Telangana’s Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao urged the Centre’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to rationalise prices for DAP, complex fertilisers, and urea. The aim is to encourage balanced use of nutrients rather than overreliance on subsidised urea. He noted that cheaper urea has driven widespread use, adversely impacting soil fertility, produce quality, and overseas demand for crops. The minister pointed to a rise in urea usage in Telangana, increasing to 20.7 lakh tonnes in 2025-26 from 14 lakh tonnes in 2015-16. He also highlighted a skewed soil nutrient mix with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium averaging 12.6:4.8:1, versus the recommended 4:2:1 ratio. The price bands cited were ₹240-₹266 for a 45 kg bag of urea, ₹1,350 for a 50 kg DAP bag, and ₹1,750 for a 19:19:19 complex fertiliser bag. He argued that large price differences have led farmers to apply higher doses of nitrogen and phosphorus than advised for crops such as paddy, maize, and cotton, creating micro-nutrient deficiencies like zinc and boron and increasing pest and disease risks.
Why It Matters
The government’s request centers on policy levers that could influence farming practices, soil health, and crop quality. If prices are aligned to promote balanced nutrient use, it could alter farmers’ purchasing behavior, potentially affecting crop yields, input costs, and export competitiveness due to soil health and produce quality concerns echoed by the minister. The data cited suggests a long-term trend of rising urea use and nutrient imbalance, which has implications for soil biology and agricultural sustainability in Telangana.
Background
The statement references historical usage data from 2015-16 to 2025-26 and notes current nutrient ratios on Telangana soils. It also situates the discussion in the context of subsidy-led pricing for urea versus other fertilisers, and links price differentials to farmers’ fertiliser choices and potential soil nutrient imbalances.
Key Facts
- Location: Hyderabad, Telangana state, India
- Official: Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao
- Centre involved: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
- Urea consumption: 20.7 lakh tonnes in 2025-26 vs 14 lakh tonnes in 2015-16
- Soil nutrient ratio in Telangana soils: 12.6:4.8:1 (N:P:K) vs recommended 4:2:1
- Prices cited: 45 kg urea bag ₹240-₹266; 50 kg DAP bag ₹1,350; 19:19:19 complex bag ₹1,750
- Core assertion: price variation is encouraging greater use of subsidised urea, affecting soil fertility and crop quality
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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