Centre in last 9 budgets spent over Rs 1 lakh crores on fertilizer subsidy to insulate farmers from price fluctuations: Union Minister

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 10 : Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said that the focus of the central government is on the farming sector and it has taken up various programs for farmers in the country.
While addressing the media, Union Minister said, "The government of India in last 9 budgets has spent more than Rs 1 lakh crores towards fertilizer subsidy to ensure that the farmers are insulated from the fluctuations of the market price of Urea and NPK fertilizers."
"To increase farming, various programs are being taken up for farmers. Fertilizers are used for farming and farmers buy them a lot," he added.
Union Minister mentioned that the central government did not increase the price of fertilizers during the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war to benefit them.
"Urea prices have been increased internationally due to the Corona and Russia-Ukraine war. But the central government took the whole responsibility and did not increase prices of the fertilizers to help the farmers. One urea bag costs Rs 2,503 but it is given to farmers at Rs 267 so the central government bears the subsidy of Rs 2,236. So a farmer for one acre of land for two crops requires four bags of Urea and four bags of DAP," he said.
He further stated that under PM Kisan Yojana farmers are getting Rs 6000 to buy materials required for farming.
"So the central government, be it a big or a small farmer gives more than Rs 18,000 subsidies to the farmer in one year. Apart from this through the PM Kisan Yojana, the farmer gets Rs 6,000 to buy fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides for farming. If this is added then per farmer benefit per year is Rs 24,612 by the Indian government. Farmers with 10 acres of land get around Rs 1,92,120 per year. More than 60 percent of the population depends on farming," he said.