Telangana Urges Centre to Rationalise Fertilizer Prices as Urea Overuse Rises

HYDERABAD — The Telangana State Government has requested the Centre's Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to rationalise the prices of DAP, complex, and urea fertilizers, pointing out that significant price gaps are driving farmers to excessively use subsidised urea.

Speaking at a meeting in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao explained that the indiscriminate application of cheaper urea is damaging soil fertility, diminishing produce quality, and hurting demand in overseas markets.

The minister noted that urea consumption across soils and crops in Telangana increased from 14 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 to 20.7 lakh tonnes in 2025-26. Because subsidized urea is widely available at low rates, farmers have been applying it heavily, leading to an average nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) ratio of 12.6:4.8:1 in Telangana soils, compared to the recommended balance of 4:2:1.

Minister Rao highlighted the pricing disparities, stating that a 45 kg bag of urea sells between ₹240 and ₹266, while a 50 kg bag of DAP costs ₹1,350 and a bag of 19:19:19 complex fertilizer costs ₹1,750. These cost differences have prompted farmers to rely heavily on urea and DAP without maintaining proper nutrient equilibrium in the soil.

According to the minister, farmers are applying higher-than-recommended doses of phosphorus and nitrogen for paddy crops, along with excessive nitrogen on maize and cotton. This imbalance has caused deficiencies in essential micro-nutrients like zinc and boron, making crops more vulnerable to pests and diseases.