Looming fertiliser shortage

It would push up subsidy bill significantly

The Ukraine war-driven disruption in supplies and escalation in prices of fertilisers in the international market has ramifications for India going far beyond the inevitable surge in fertiliser subsidy. It has affected the domestic availability of these key farm inputs, resulting in their black marketing in several states. Though the government has invoked the Fertiliser Control Order to penalise hoarders and others indulging in malpractices, decontrolled fertilisers like di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MOP) are still being sold at exorbitant prices at many places. If it leads to any decline in fertiliser use, which may well happen, crop