 "Centre may double urea capacity at RCF's plant in Trombay")
Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Ahir told reporters here the department had launched an internal study for the proposed expansion. Ahir also said the department has no plan to allow real estate development at the RCF’s Trombay site.
He also said the bio fertiliser capacity at the Trombay plant will be expanded, and for this waste from the agricultural produce market situated at Vashi will be procured.
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“The department (of chemicals and fertilisers) will take up the proposal in this regard with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” he said.
As far as the third-phase expansion at RCF's Thal plant in the coastal Raigad district is concerned, the minister said urea production capacity will be increased to 4 million tonnes from the current 2 million tonnes. Ahir said against the country's annual urea requirement of 31 million tonnes only 22 million tonnes are produced domestically while the rest is imported.
The Centre has, therefore, taken a decision to further develop urea capacity in the country, Ahir said. “Considering the constraints in the availability of gas and its cost, the department is mulling to set up coal-based urea plants. And, the new plants will be constructed in coal-bearing states, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. Urea produced in such plants could be available at Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 a ton. Nearly 80 per cent of urea based on coal is produced in China,” the minister said.