India spending ₹3.54tn on fertilizer subsidies while 1-third reaches crops
India's spending on fertilizer subsidies is set to soar, reaching ₹3.54 trillion in 2026-27, up from ₹2.17 trillion in FY26.
Even with all this investment, only about one-third of fertilizers like urea and DAP actually benefit crops; the rest mostly go to waste and end up polluting water and air.
Indian government mulls urea price rise
Urea made up more than half of the 67.7 million metric tons of fertilizers used in 2025-26 because it's cheap, but relying on it causes soil imbalances and inefficiency.
Experts are pushing for smarter options like nano fertilizers, which deliver nutrients way more efficiently (80-90%).
The government is even considering raising urea prices while offering direct cash transfers to farmers, hoping this encourages better fertilizer use without hurting farmers' wallets.