The estimated production of fertilizers during March 1999 was 2.95 lakh tonnes of phosphates as against the target of 2.66 lakh tonnes and 8.38 lakh tonnes of nitrogen as against the target of 9.25 lakh tonnes.Production in the fertilizer plants at Hazira and along HBJ pipeline was affected on account of maintenance

shutdown taken by ONGC. Production at Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd., Thal was affected due to reduction in gas supply even after the completion of shutdown in the Uran region. There was a shortfall in production at urea plant of Fertilizers and Chemicals, Travancore Limited, Namrup-III plant of Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Company Limited, Bharuch due to equipment problems. DAP plant of Hindustan Lever Limited was under shutdown due to hook-up of Expansion plant.

Capacity utilization in March 1999 was 95.6% for nitrogen and 111.8% for phosphate.

The requirement of urea during March 1999 as well as the entire Rabi 1998-99 season has been met fully in all the States except Tripura. In the case of Tripura, the lifting of urea by the State institutional agency, the sole distributor in the State, was poor due to less demand. The State Government has not reported any shortage of urea.

During March 1999, 15.47 lakh tonnes of urea was despatched to the States against the target of 15.00 lakh tonnes. As a result, cumulative availability of urea during Rabi 1998-99 season was 124.09 lakh tonnes. This constitutes 108% of the revised estimated requirement of 114.76 lakh tonnes for the season. (The assessed requirement of 115.76 lakh tonnes for Rabi 1998-99 was

reduced by 1 lakh tonnes as the State Government of Rajasthan had surrendered one lakh tonne of allocation due to poor off take of urea). However, the sales of urea upto 15th March 1999 have been 3%higher over sales during the previous year in the same period.

For Kharif 1999 the assessed requirement is 106.19 lakh tonnes. No problem is envisaged in meeting the requirement of urea during Kharif 1999 season.

The cumulative availability of DAP & MOP during the Rabi season has been higher by 24% (36.64 lakh tonnes) and 50% (18.76 lakh tonnes), respectively. Similarly, the cumulative sales of DAP and MOP upto 15th March 1999 have been up by 27% (26.55 lakh tonnes) and 40% (13.94 lakh tonnes), respectively.

FERTILIZER IMPORTS

During the month under review, there have been no further imports of urea. The cumulative deliveries of urea have been 5.57 lakh tonnes during April-March 1999.

A quantity of 0.62 lakh tonnes of imported DAP and 1.35 lakh tonnes of MOP arrived during March 1999. The cumulative arrivals of DAP & MOP during April-March 1999 have been 21.05 lakh tonnes and 25.70 lakh tonnes respectively.