BANGALORE:  Mansukh Mandaviya, the union minister for health, chemicals, and fertilisers, urged the states on Thursday to promote the locally produced nano fertilisers and use them in place of chemical fertilisers.

The farmers are supplied fertilizer bags, each for Rs266, whereas  the actual cost to the government is Rs2,300, Mandaviya said. At the National Conference of State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers' opening session, Mandaviya stated that India consumes 35 percent of the fertiliser produced worldwide and imports 70 to 100 lakh metric tonnes annually.

He said that farmers receive sacks of fertiliser for Rs 266; this costs the government Rs 2,300. He said that the nation provides farmers with fertiliser at a heavily discounted rate.

The annual budget of a large state like Karnataka is about equal to the Rs 2.5 lakh crore the Indian government spends on fertiliser subsidies, said the Union minister. Mandaviya also said, that Indian experts had created nano fertilisers after realising the issues the country was facing.

Each container of nano fertiliser costs Rs 240 and is equivalent to one fertiliser bag. Four lakh tonnes of fertiliser bags are equivalent to one crore nano fertiliser bottles. Can we make them popular? I have personally utilised it on my 100 acres of land and have found it to be really effective," Mandaviya said.

The minister stated that testing on the nano fertiliser bottles have shown them to be both safe and efficient. Also, it is native and represents a stride toward "Atmanirbhar Bharat." Mandaviya also urged the states to stop diverting subsidised fertiliser funds to the industrial sector.

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