Urea offtake decline by 31 percent during February and by 12 percent during October-February period of the current year 2006- 07 as compared with the same period of last fiscal year due to huge demand of DAP preferred by farmers, sources said.
The government is providing Rs 250 per bag subsidy on Dia Ammonium Phosphate. This is the main reason of decline in the urea offtake, they said. Urea offtake declined by 12.30 percent, or 0.301 million tonnes, to 2.153 million tons during October-February from 2.45 million tonnes during the same period of last year.
During February, urea offtake was recorded at 0.283 million tonnes against 0.412 million tonnes of last year, indicating a decline of 31.20 percent, or 0.129 million tonnes.
As opposed to this, Dia Ammonia Phosphate (DAP) offtake increased by 56.70 percent, or 0.392 million tonnes, to 1.082 million tonnes during October-February period, as compared to 0.69 million tonnes in the same period of last year.
DAP offtake was 54,000 tonnes during February 2007 against 32,000 tonnes of February 2006, depicting an increase of 68.6 percent, or 22,000 tonnes.
During February 2007, 17.40 percent decline has been recorded in total nutrients offtake at 0.194 million tonnes from 0.235 million tonnes of February 2006, while total nutrients offtake during October-February of current year was about 1.941 million tonnes against 1.772 million tonnes during the some period of last season, showing an increase of 10 percent against Rabi 2005-06.