FAI-Northern Region Training Programme on Challenges and Strategies for Fertiliser Industry

摘要

FAI-Northern Region organised a training programme on ‘Challenges and Strategies for Fertiliser Industry’ during September 26-29, 2016 at Varanasi, U.P. Thirty Three participants from fourteen companies attended the programme. The training programme was inaugurated by Mr. A.K. Jain, Vice Chairman & CEO, Kanpur Fertilisers and Cement Ltd. (KFCL), Noida. In his inaugural address, Mr. A.K. Jain gave an overview of production, import and consumption of various fertiliser products in the country. He mentioned that there has been lot of challenges in fertiliser marketing and more so in last two years. Higher imports of fertilisers coupled with lower demand of fertilisers due to drought in many part of the country had created a glut like situation. The sale of all fertilisers has declined despite of good monsoon during Kharif 2016. There has been heavy stocks of fertilisers in market. He stated that dealers are paying higher inventory carrying cost. He expressed his concern over inordinate delay in subsidy payment. Mr. Jain briefed about inter-state and inter-district variations in fertiliser consumption and average yields of different crops. He then detailed about modified NPS III notified on 2nd April 2014 for existing urea units. This inter-alia provided for an additional fixed cost reimbursement of Rs. 350 per million tonne (Mt) of urea. This also provided for minimum cost of Rs. 2300/Mt of urea subject to actual fixed cost during 2012-13. Special allowance of Rs. 150 per Mt of urea was also allowed for more than 30 years old gas based urea units. But the payments are yet to be made. He then briefed about new urea policy 2015 notified by the DOF on 25th May, 2015. As per the policy the 25 operating gas based urea units are divided into 3 groups on the basis of preset energy norms and revision of the norms of these units for 3 years period from 1st June 2015 to 31st March 2018. Therefore, Government may consider setting up a technology upgradation funds for urea units at concessional rate of 4-5% per annum to make energy saving projects viable to some extent.