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Urea

Urea (CO(NH2)2) is the principal nitrogen fertiliser in India and the single largest fertiliser in terms of consumption and government subsidy outgo. The granulated white prill carries 46% nitrogen, the highest N concentration of any solid fertiliser in common use. Its retail price is fixed statutorily by the Government of India and the entire domestic supply is mandatorily neem-coated.

Composition

  • Nutrient content: 46% N (amide form)
  • Form: white prilled or granular solid, fully water soluble
  • Coating: 100% neem-coated as per the Department of Fertilizers mandate

The neem coating slows hydrolysis of urea to ammonium in the soil, reducing nitrogen losses through volatilisation and leaching, and was introduced in 2015 partly to deter industrial diversion of subsidised urea.

Mode of action

Once applied, urea is hydrolysed by the soil enzyme urease to ammonium carbonate, which dissociates to NH4+ and is then nitrified to NO3-. Both ammoniacal and nitrate forms are taken up by the crop. Surface application without incorporation in alkaline soils can cause significant NH3 volatilisation losses.

Target use and dose

Urea is used as a basal and top-dressing N source across virtually all field crops, including paddy, wheat, maize, cotton and sugarcane. In paddy, it is typically split between basal, active tillering and panicle initiation stages. See Paddy First Dose Fertilizer and Paddy Tillering Top Dressing for crop-specific schedules. In waterlogged paddy soils, Ammonium Sulphate is sometimes preferred to avoid denitrification losses.

Pricing and regulation

The subsidised maximum retail price is Rs 242 per 45 kg neem-coated bag (Rs 268 per 50 kg bag), excluding taxes and coating cost. The gap between manufacturer cost-of-production and MRP is reimbursed as subsidy by the Department of Fertilizers under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme through Aadhaar-linked point-of-sale terminals.

See also: Dap, Muriate Of Potash, Ammonium Sulphate, Nano Urea.

References

  1. Urea Pricing Policy. Department of Fertilizers, Government of India.
  2. Urea MRP and DBT settlement. Press Information Bureau, Government of India.