Chandan Singh
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University,
Pusa

Fertilizer Development- concept, scope, need, resource
availability
Import and export avenue of fertilizer
Types of fertilizer
Grading and chemical constituent of fertilizers
Role of fertilizer in agricultural production
Production and consumption of fertilizers in India
Contents

“Wiothout manure, the rice plant grow but do not bear acrop”-
PARASAR, 1300 B. C.
Management of soil fertility has been the pre-occupation of
farmers for thousands of years.
The start of the modern science of plant nutrition dates to the
19th century and the work of German chemist Justus Von Leibig,
(Law of Restitution)
(For maintenance of soil fertility, the replacement of the nutrients
removed from the soi by the crop was essential)
The secret of rapid agricultural progress in the under
developed countries is to be found much more in agricultural
extension, in fertilizers, in new seeds, in pesticides and in water
supplies than in altering the size of the farm, in introducing
machinery, or in getting rid of middle men in the marketing
process”. W.A.Lewis
HISTORY

John Bennet Lawes, an English entrepreneur, began to
experiment on the effects of various manures on plants
growing in pots in 1837, and a year or two later the
experiments were extended to crops in the field.
One immediate consequence was that in 1842 he patented
a manure formed by treating phosphates with sulphuric
acid, and thus was the first to create the artificial manure
industry.
 In the succeeding year he enlisted the services of Joseph
Henry Gilbert, with whom he carried on for more than
half a century on experiments in raising crops at
the Rothamstead Experiment Station

Fertilizer (or fertiliser) is any organic or inorganic material
of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming materials)
that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients
essential to the growth of plants.
Conservative estzimates report 30 to 50% of crop yields are
attributed to natural or synthetic commercial fertilizer.
Global market value is likely to rise to more than US$185
billion until 2019. The European fertilizer market will grow to
earn revenues of approx. €15.3 billion in 2018.

Any element that is necessary
for plant growth, development
and completion of life cycle.

Criteria of essentiality
1. The absence of an essential nutrient elements make it
impossible for the plant to complete the vegetative or
reproductive stage of its life cycle
2. The deficiency is specific to the element & can be
prevented or corrected only by supplying that
element
3.The element is involved directly in the nutrition and
metabolism of plant
As proposed by Arnon & Stout (1939) and modified by Arnon (1954)

Essential elements for plant growth
C H O – Supplied through air and water
N P K – Primary Nutrients
Ca, Mg, S - Secondary Nutrients
Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, B, Cl, Mo – Micronutrients
 Co & Ni – recently added Micronutrients

Typical Plant Dry-matter Composition
ELEMENT Amount by mass
% ppm
Hydrogen 6
Carbon 45
Oxygen 45
Nitrogen 1.5
Potassium 1.0
Calcium 0.5
Magnesium 0.2
Phosphorous 0.2
Sulfur 0.1
Chlorine 0.01 100
Iron 100
Boron 20
Manganese 50
Zinc 20
Copper 6
Molybdenum 0.1

Typical composition of soil solution
Cation Conc. mmol L-1
Anion Conc. mmol L-1
Ca2+
10 NO3
-
5
Mg2+
3 SO3
2-
4
K+
1 Cl-
2
Na+
1 HCO3
-
2
NH4
+
0.5 HPO4
2-
/H2PO4-
0.01

Sources of nutrients
Inorganic Organic
Chemical Fertilizers
Minerals
Farm Yard Manure
Green Manure
Vermi-Compost

Fertilizer
Fertilizer is generally defined as “any
material, organic or inorganic, natural
or synthetic , which supplies one or
more of the essential elements
required for the plant growth.”

INTRODUCTION
India is the third largest producer (after China & USA) and the
second biggest (next only to China) consumer of fertilizer in the
world.
Indian fertilizer industry started in 1906 with SSP production
facility at Ranipet near Chennai.
 Started operating in a big scale since 1940s, when the Fertilizer &
Chemicals Travancore of India Ltd. and the Fertilizers Corporation
of India were set up in Kerala and Bihar
The production of urea in India has reached near self-
sufficiency. The requirement of the nitrogenous fertilizers is
met through the indigenous industry
In the case of phosphatic fertilizers, the raw materials and
intermediates are imported in large scale.
The requirement of potash (K) is met entirely through
imports.

Fertilizer Production, Consumption and Import Status
The Indian Fertilizer companies produced around 32.4
million tonnes of fertilizer in the year 2012-13
 However, the total availability was short of demand and
was met through imports.
Of total fertiliser production, urea output increased to
22.6 million tonnes in FY12-13 from 22.0 million tonnes
in FY11-12 due to better capacity utilization.
 While production of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP)
output down 3.6 million tonne in FY12-13 from 4.0
million tones last year.
Output of NPK (nitrogen, phosphate and potassium)
decreased 6.2 million tonnes in FY12-13 from 7.8
million tonnes in FY11-12

•India has 30 manufacturing
units of Urea with an
Installed capacity of 21.6
million tonnes till 2013.
There are 12 units of DAP
producing plants with a
combined capacity of 8.3
million tonnes.
Complex fertilizers in the
country have installed
capacity of 6.4 million
tonnes from 19 units
Highest number of fertilizer
units in the country belongs
to SSP. India has 85 SSP
units with a combined
production capacity of 7.7
million tonnes

India is meeting 80 per cent of its urea requirement through
indigenous production but is largely import dependent for its
requirements of phosphatic and potassic (P & K) fertilizers
either as finished fertilizers or raw materials.
Its entire potash requirement, about 90 per cent of phosphatic
requirement, and 20 per cent urea requirement is met through
imports.
In India, complex fertilizer is produced by public sector,
cooperative sector and private sector players.
Taking a closer look at the production scenario of complex
fertilizer in the country which has witnessed an overall
negative growth for the period from 2008-09 to 2012-13,
maximum fall in production by both cooperative and the
private sector was witnessed between 2010-11 and 2012-13.

Consumption, Production and Imports of Fertilizers from 2000-2013
(thousand tons of nutrients)Year Consumption Production Imports
N P K TOTAL N P K TOTAL N P K TOTAL
2000-01 109.2 42.2 15.67 167 109.6 37.43 - 147 1.54 3.96 15.41 20.91
2001-02 113.1 43.8 16.67 173.6 107.7 38.6 - 146.3 2.69 4.29 17.01 23.99
2002-03 104.7 40.2 16.01 160.9 105.6 39.04 - 144.7 0.67 1.7 15.2 17.57
2003-04 110.8 41.2 15.98 168 106.3 36.32 - 142.7 1.32 3.38 15.48 20.18
2004-05 117.1 46.2 20.61 184 113.4 40.64 - 154 4.11 2.96 20.45 27.52
2005-06 127.2 52 24.13 203.4 113.5 42.21 - 155.8 13.9 11.2 27.47 52.53
2006-07 137.7 55.4 23.35 216.5 115.8 45.18 - 161 26.8 13.1 20.69 60.58
2007-08 144.2 55.2 26.36 225.7 109 38.07 - 147.1 36.8 13.9 26.53 77.21
2008-09 150.9 65.1 33.13 249.1 108.7 34.64 - 143.3 38.4 29.3 33.8 101.5
2009-10 155.8 72.7 36.32 264.9 119 43.21 - 162.2 34.5 27.6 29.45 91.48
2010-11 165.6 80.5 35.14 281.2 121.6 42.23 - 163.8 44.9 38 40.69 123.6
2011-12 173 79.1 26.76 277.9 122.6 41.04 - 163.6 52.4 44.3 33.35 130
2012-13 168.2 66.5 20.62 255.4 121.9 35.41 - 157.4 35.1 26.3 11.78 73.08

Indian fertilizer industry
65 large-sized fertilizer plants in India .
32 units-urea
20 units-DAP & complex fertilizers
13 units-ammonium phosphate & CAN
Nitrogenous fertilizers-88% urea ,10% DAP & 2%
ammonium fertilizers.

MAJOR PLAYERS:
The public sector companies in Indian fertilizer market are listed
below:
Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL)
Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited (HFC)
Pyrites, Phosphates & Chemicals Limited (PPCL)
Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF)
National Fertilizers Limited (NFL)
Projects &Development India Limited (PDIL)
The Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT)
Madras Fertilizers Limited (MFL)
FCI Aravali Gypsum & Minerals India Limited, Jodhpur

Some Private fertilizer Companies
The Scientific Fertilizer Co Pvt Ltd
 Coromandel Fertilizers
 Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited
Apratim International
 Aries AgroVet
 Devidayal Agro Chemicals
Gujarat State Fertilizers &Chemicals Limited
Tata Chemicals Limited
Chambal Fertilizers
Nagarjuna Fertilizers and chemicals limited
Godavari Fertilizers and Chemicals limited
Zuari Industries limited

Fertilizer use and crop production in India
24%
8%
3%
9%
5%
3%
4%
2.00%
5%
Rice 37%
Wheat 24%
Food Grains 8%
Pulses 3%
Oil Seeds 9%
Sugarcane 5%
Cotton 3%
Vegetables 4%
Figure 2: Crops wise consumption of Fertilizer in India
Rice
37%
Wheat
24%
Food Grains
8%
Pulses
3%
Oil Seeds
9%
Sugarcane
5%
Cotton
3%
Vegetables
4%
Fruits
2%
Others
5%
Rice
Wheat
Food Grains
Pulses
Oil Seeds
Sugarcane
Cotton
Vegetables
Fruits
Others

13.4
11
8.2
7
5.8
4.9
4.1 3.7
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Responseratio(kg
grain/kgNPK)Low Fertilizer Response - Irrigated Areas
Declining Fertilizer Response

??
BB BB
MnMn MnMn MnMn
SS SS SS
KK KK KK KK
ZnZn ZnZn ZnZn ZnZn
PP PP PP PP
FeFe FeFe FeFe FeFe FeFe
NN NN NN NN NN NN
Emerging Multi-Nutrient Deficiencies
in Soils

Types of Fertilizers
Straight Fertilizer – only one declarable major nutrient e.g. Urea
Complex Fertilizer – at least two declarable major nutrient e.g.
DAP
Mixed Fertilizer – blending of fertilizers to supply 2 or 3 major
nutrients e.g. Suphala -15:15:15
Liquid Fertilizer – Fertilizers which are in liquid form e.g.
anhydrous ammonia
Fortified Fertilizer - Fertilizers which are enriched with some
specific nutrient e.g. Zincated urea
Coated Fertilizers – Fertilizers which are coated with relatively
slowly soluble materials to have slow release of nutrient e.g.
Neem coated urea
Customized Fertilizer - Location and crop specific fertilizers e.g.
Paras Formoola (Tata Chemicals)

Fertilizer Grade:-
The grade of fertilizer is expressed as a set of three numbers in the order of
percent. If a nutrient is missing, it is represented by a zero. i.e.
SN Fertilizer Grade
1. Ammonium sulphate 20.6-0-0
2. SSP 0-16-0
3. M O P 0-0-60
4. Diammonium phosphate 18-46-0
5. Suphala 15-15-15
where as,
Fertilizer ratio refers to the relative percentage of N, P2O5and K2O i.e. 1:4:4
if fertilizer grade is 6 – 24 – 24 .

Primary Nutrients – N,P & K
NITROGEN (N)
In the case of nitrogenous fertilizers, nitrogen may
be in the ammonical , nitrate (or a combination
there of) or amide form.
(NH4)Cl, (NH4)2so4 - Ammonical form
NaNO3 (Chile Saltpeter) - Nitrate form
Ammonium Nitrate, CAN - Both form of N
Urea - Amide form

Phosphate (P2 O5 )
The portion of phosphatic fertilizer which is soluble in water is called
water soluble phosphate
The portion of phosphatic fertilizer which is not soluble in water but
soluble in 2% neutral ammonium citrate solution is called citrate
soluble phosphate.
The portion of phosphate which is neither soluble in water nor in 2%
neutral ammonium citrate is termed as insoluble phosphate
Available phosphate = Water soluble + Citrate soluble
Total phosphate = Available phosphate + Insoluble phosphate

Secondary nutrients – Ca, Mg, S
Secondary nutrients are the essential elements which are
required in relatively low amounts.
Therefore, to obtain opt results crops have to be supplied
with secondary nutrients in addition to primary
nutrients.
- Lime - Source of Ca
- CaSo4 (gypsum) - Source of Ca & S
- Dolomite, MgSo4etc - source of Mg
- Pyrite, Elemental S - Source of S

Micronutrients
Group of nutrients which are required by plant in
small quantities. Deficiency of which are often not
seen, especially in cereal crops but they have the
hidden hunger for the deficient nutrients.
Intensive cropping deplete all nutrients including
micro-nutrient, from the soil at a fast rate with a
differential intensity
Therefore, proper use of micronutrients is
necessary for increasing agricultural production.

Sources of micronutrients
Zinc Sulphate , Chelated Zinc - for Zn
Manganese Sulphate - for Mn
Borax, Solubor - for B
Copper Sulphate - for Cu
Ferrous Sulphate, Chelated Iron - for Fe
Ammonium Molybdate - for Mo
Recently Zincated Urea & Boronated SSP has also been
incorporated in FCO.

CHALLENGES IN FERTILISER INDUSTRY
Gap between demand and supply
Greater dependency of country on imports( also
feedstock)
Unable to reduce burden of government in
subsidiary rates
Infrastructural bottlenecks
Uncertainties in government policies
Small size of older plants

Year Urea DAP NP/NPKs SSP MOP*
2013-14 31192 11784 10577 4682 4343
2014-15 32029 12002 10861 5091 4492
2015-16 32858 12212 11142 5513 4643
2016-17 33677 12413 11420 5948 4793
2017-18 33754 12764 11841 6476 4934
Demand forecast of fertilizer products (thousand tonnes) 2012-13 to
2016-17

Projected Food Grain Production, Fertilizer Demand,
likely Consumption and Gap
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2003 2010 2025
Year
Nutrients
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Foodgrainproduction
Foodgrain production (Mt)
NPK Demand (Mt)
NPK Consumption (Mt)
NPK Gap (Mt)

THANK
S

"N" consumption
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
states
andhra
pradesh
punjabtam
ilnadu
haryana
uttarpradesh
biharkarnataka
m
aharashtra
gujrat
m
adhyapradeshrajasthan
w
estbengal
states
"000"tonnes
2006-07
2007-08

p consumption
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
andhra
pradesh
punjabtam
ilnadu
haryana
uttarpradesh
biharkarnataka
m
aharashtra
gujrat
m
adhyapradeshrajasthan
w
estbengal
assam
states
pconsumption(000tonnes)
p2o5(2006-07)
P2O5(2007-08)

"k" fertilizer consumption
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
andhra
pradesh
punjab
tam
ilnaduharyana
uttarpradesh
bihar
karnataka
m
aharashtra
gujrat
m
adhyapradeshrajasthan
westbengalassam
states
"000"tonnes
2006-07
2007-08

CONSUMPTION OF CHEMICAL FERTILISER( LAKH TON)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
YEAR
CONSUMPTIONINLAKH
TON
Nitrogenous(N)
Phosphatic(P)
Potassic(K)

Nutrient content of fertilizers
MaterialMaterial TotaTota
ll
nitronitro
gengen
(N)(N)
AmmoAmmo
niacalniacal
nitrogenitroge
n (N)n (N)
NitraNitra
tete
nitronitro
gengen
(N)(N)
NitrogenNitrogen
in formin form
of ureaof urea
(amide)(amide)
(N)(N)
NeutralNeutral
ammoniumammonium
citrate solublecitrate soluble
phosphosphatphosphosphat
e (Pe (P22 OO22 ))
WaterWater
solublesoluble
phosphatphosphat
e (Pe (P22 OO55 ))
WaterWater
solublesoluble
potashpotash
(K(K22 O)O)
11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88
I. Nitrogenous foretellersI. Nitrogenous foretellers
1. Ammonium sulphate1. Ammonium sulphate 20.620.6 20.620.6 -- -- -- -- --
2.Ammonium chloride2.Ammonium chloride 25.025.0 25.025.0 -- -- -- -- --
3.Calcium ammonium3.Calcium ammonium
nitratenitrate
25.025.0 12.512.5 12.512.5 -- -- -- --
4.Urea4.Urea 46.046.0 -- -- -- -- -- --
II. Phosphatic fertilizersII. Phosphatic fertilizers
5. SSP5. SSP -- -- -- -- -- 16.016.0 --
III. Potassic fertilizersIII. Potassic fertilizers
6. Potassium chloride6. Potassium chloride -- -- -- -- -- -- 60.060.0
7. Potassium sulphate7. Potassium sulphate -- -- -- -- -- -- 50.050.0

IV. Complex fertilizersIV. Complex fertilizers
8. Ammonium phosphate8. Ammonium phosphate
sulphatesulphate
16-20-016-20-0
20-20-020-20-0
1616
20.020.0
16.016.0
18.018.0
--
--
--
2.02.0
(max)(max)
20.020.0
20.020.0
19.519.5
17.017.0
--
9. Diammonium phosphate9. Diammonium phosphate
18-46.018-46.0
18.018.0 15.515.5 -- 2.52.5 46.046.0 41.041.0 --
10. Nitrophosphate 20-20-10. Nitrophosphate 20-20-
00
23-23-
23-023-0
15-15-
15-1515-15
20.020.0
23.023.0
15.015.0
10.010.0
11.511.5
7.57.5
10.010.0
11.511.5
7.57.5
--
--
--
20.020.0
23.023.0
15.015.0
5.45.4
18.518.5
4.04.0
--
--
15.015.0
11.Ammonium nitrate11.Ammonium nitrate
phosphate 23-23-0phosphate 23-23-0
23.023.0 13.013.0 10.010.0 -- 23.023.0 20.520.5 --
12. Urea ammonium12. Urea ammonium
phosphate 28-28-0phosphate 28-28-0
20-20-020-20-0
28.028.0
20.020.0
9.09.0
6.46.4
--
--
--
--
28.028.0
20.020.0
25.225.2
17.017.0
--
--
13.NPK fertilizers 10-26-2613.NPK fertilizers 10-26-26
12-32-12-32-
1616
17-17-17-17-
1717
10.010.0
12.012.0
17.017.0
14.014.0
19.019.0
7.07.0
9.09.0
5.05.0
12.012.0
5.65.6
--
--
--
--
--
3.03.0
(max)(max)
3.03.0
(max)(max)
12.012.0
26.026.0
32.032.0
17.017.0
35.035.0
19.019.0
22.122.1
27.227.2
14.514.5
29.029.0
16.216.2
26.026.0
16.016.0
17.017.0
14.014.0
19.019.0

The main aim of the fertilizer industry is to provide
the primary & secondary nutrients
Primary nutrients are normally supplied through
chemical fertilizers.
Chemical fertilizers are chemical compound,
containing one or more of the primary nutrients
and generally produced by chemical reactions.

The primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphors and
potassium, however, their concentration in a
chemical fertilizers is expressed as parentage of total
nitrogen (N), available phosphate (P2O5) and soluble
Potash (K2O).
Thus,
Ammonium Sulphate - 20.6% N,
Single Super phosphate – 16% P2O5
MuriateofPotash(MOP) - 60% K2O