MC Explains: How nano urea can reduce fertiliser subsidy, revolutionise farming in India

Farm photo of Jind, Haryana

It has been almost a year since the country’s first liquid nano urea plant was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kalol, Gujarat, last June. The patented product is expected to not only substitute imported urea but also produce better results on farms. It is already being produced at three urea plants that have been set up within one year.

Moneycontrol explains what it is, the idea behind the development of its technology and its uses.

 What is nano urea?

Urea is a chemical nitrogen fertiliser, white in colour, which artificially provides nitrogen, a major nutrient required by plants. The liquid nano urea has been produced using nanotechnology to improve the efficiency of crop nutrients. This nano liquid will replace conventional urea and hopes to curtail its requirement by at least 50 percent. The effect of one bottle of 500 ml on the crop is equivalent to a 45-kg bag of granular urea.

Why was the technology developed?

As per Pravin Kumar Upadhyay, a scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s Agronomy division, who was involved in research trials of nano urea, the technology was developed in an attempt to reduce the application rate and dosage of nitrogenous fertilisers.

“The government was investing huge amounts to provide subsidy on nitrogenous fertilisers and wanted to produce something that is more efficient and indigenous. That was the objective we designed this with,” Upadhyay told Moneycontrol.

During the experiments, the scientists observed that 2 sprays of nano urea could curtail the requirement of conventional urea by up to 50 percent. According to the information shared by fertiliser maker IFFCO on nano urea with Moneycontrol, one single particle of urea is equivalent to 55,000 small nano urea particles. On foliar application (directly on leaves instead of soil), these small particles are delivered directly to the plant cell, thereby releasing nitrogen inside cells. This process, IFFCO claims, not only increases the use efficiency of nitrogen but is also environment-friendly.

Despite the potential it holds, the biggest challenge for this game-changer technology remains its adoption on a larger scale by the farmers in the country.

Why nano urea and not granular urea?

Reduced price: The liquid nano urea comes in a half-litre bottle priced at Rs 240 without any subsidy. In contrast, a farmer pays around Rs 300 for a 50-kg bag of heavily subsidised urea, which costs the Centre Rs 3,500.

Ease of use: While granular urea comes in bulky bags of 50 kg each, a small bottle of nano urea does the same trick. It is very easy to use for the farmers. One 500 ml bottle of Nano Urea is sufficient for two sprays over an acre of field. Now, instead of carrying a 45 kg bag of urea on the shoulder, a farmer can easily carry a 500 ml bottle of nano urea.

Logistic & warehousing costs: With heavy weight and big bags, the cost of freight that currently goes into transporting and storing urea will come down significantly. This will also reduce the loss incurred on spillage during transportation from one place to another.

More efficient:  The field efficacy of nano urea has been validated through 11,000 farmer field trials throughout the country and also by ICAR research institutes and state agriculture universities, says IFFCO. In fact, in terms of the nitrogen use efficiency of plants, nano urea is better than conventional urea.

No leaching losses: The use of granular urea incurs high leaching losses with only 50 percent being soaked by a plant and the rest either going into the soil.

Productivity enhancement: The application of nano fertilisers is said to have commensurate benefits in terms of better soil health, air and water, which will ultimately benefit the farmers through improvement in the productivity of crops.