The central government is planning to roll out an Aadhaar-based app to track urea sales, with the aim to curb diversion, people aware of the development told NDTV Profit.
The mobile based app will enable real time tracking of urea sales, which can be used by farmers to check stock and book fertilisers, thereby avoiding queues.
The government is working to release the app soon in order to prevent diversion and hoarding of urea. Later, the app will also integrate land records and crop data to make the platform more holistic, they added.
Urea is the most-utilised fertiliser in India, and the country is heavily dependent on its imports. In FY26, urea subsidies accounted for Rs 1.26 lakh crore.
The development comes at a time when supply risks rise amid disruption in Strait of Hormuz due to the Middle East conflict. The annual domestic output of urea and complex fertilisers in India is likely to drop by 10-15% due to this supply chain risk, PTI reported citing a Crisil Ratings report.
ALSO READ: Fertiliser Production To Dip 10-15% If Middle East Issues Persist, Says Crisil Ratings
Notably, the reported supply risk impact on production will be cushioned to some extent by the recent government directive allocating 70% of gas to urea manufacturers. The fertiliser inventory of around three months, along with expected imports from alternative sources, will mitigate the risk of immediate supply shortages, the report said.
The government initially restricted gas supply to fertiliser (urea) plants to about 60% of the requirement. It was scaled up to 75-80% through alternative arrangements.
Earlier this month, a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by PM Modi, discussed efforts, such as maintaining urea production to meet requirements, coordinating with overseas supplies for DAP/NPKS suppliers, which have been taken to ensure fertiliser supply.
State governments have been requested to curb black marketing, hoarding, and diversion of fertilisers through daily monitoring, raids, and strict action.
ALSO READ: India Urea Plants At Half Capacity As Middle East Tensions Choke Gas Supplies
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
