Government cracks down on fertilizer hoarding; over 6,900 licences cancelled
The government has stepped up its crackdown on fertilizer hoarding, diversion and black marketing, cancelling over 6,900 licences and registering hundreds of cases to protect farmers’ interests.
Responding in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel said fertilizers are regulated under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the Fertilizer Control Order, 1985, enabling strict action against violators.
Since April 2025, authorities have carried out over 4.66 lakh inspections, issued more than 16,000 show-cause notices, cancelled or suspended 6,802 licences and filed 821 FIRs. The Centre, in coordination with states, is monitoring enforcement on a weekly basis to ensure compliance.
At the same time, the government has maintained adequate fertilizer availability during the ongoing Rabi 2025-26 season, with supplies of urea, DAP, MOP and NPKS exceeding requirements. Urea continues to be sold at a subsidised maximum retail price of ₹242 per 45-kg bag under the Urea Subsidy Scheme, while the Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme for phosphatic and potassic fertilizers is being implemented to keep prices stable amid global fluctuations.
Additional support, including ₹3,500 per metric tonne towards logistics and other costs, has been extended for DAP and TSP to ensure affordability and uninterrupted supply to farmers.
