Consumption and import trends of fertilizer
There is a substantial
increase in consumption of fertilizers in the country consumption of fertilizers (all
varieties) has increased by 52.5% during the nineties from 12.55 million tonnes in 1990-91
to an estimated 19.15 million tonnes in 1999-2000.
The increase in
consumption has been mostly shared by the agriculturally rich northern states. In 1998-99
Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for 18.5 % of the total fertilizer consumption in the
country. In contrast, the eastern states including Assam, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal
and six northeastern states together accounted for just about 14.3 %. Four major
fertilizer-consuming states, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab among
themselves accounted for 48.5 % of the total fertilizer consumption in 1998-99.
The share of the major
fertilizer consuming state is on the rise. A year ago, in 1997-98 their share in aggregate
consumption was 47.1 %. This indicates a fall in the share of consumption of other states.
This is significant
for, a fall could hardly justify the relation between agricultural growth and consumption
of fertilizer.
Consumption and
imports of fertiliser
| items |
99-00 |
98-99 |
97-98 |
96-97 |
95-96 |
| Import (Lakh tonnes) |
| Nitrogen
|
8.33 |
6.35 |
13.62 |
11.67 |
19.93 |
| Phosphate |
15.03 |
9.68 |
6.72 |
2.46 |
6.47 |
| Potash |
16.48 |
15.42 |
11.40 |
6.13 |
13.15 |
| Share
of import in consumption(%) |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nitrogen
|
6.7 |
5.6 |
12.6 |
11.3 |
20.3 |
| Phosphate
|
30.6 |
23.5 |
17.2 |
8.3 |
22.3 |
| The
entire consumption of potash is met through import |
|
