With Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) increasing the price of a 50 kg bag of NPK fertiliser by ₹250, farmers in South Gujarat will bear a burden of more than ₹20 crore per year and farmers across the state will bear ₹350 crore.

Paddy and sugarcane are the most cultivated crops in South Gujarat, including Surat. NPK fertiliser is essential for these crops.

Till now, farmers used to get a 50 kg bag of NPK for ₹1,470. Which, with an increase of ₹250, this bag will now cost the farmer ₹1,720.

South Gujarat farmer leader Jayesh Patel said that approximately 50 thousand tonnes of NPK fertiliser are consumed in South Gujarat including the Surat district during the year. Given this, the farmers of South Gujarat will have to spend ₹20 crore more per year and farm produce will also become costlier. Therefore, the subsidy of ₹740, given on NPK quality should be increased.

Another farmer leader said that the price hike on fertiliser will increase the cost of farming, leading to inflation everywhere. It will also push farmers into debt. Therefore, the increase in fertiliser prices needs to be withdrawn immediately.

The Centre also provides different subsidies for different fertilisers. In which a subsidy of ₹1890 is given on a 50 kg urea, ₹1050 on a DAP and ₹740 on a NPK, thus, farmers are unhappy that the least subsidy is given on NPK fertiliser.

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