Bhopal, April 10 (IANS) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said the Centre will continue to shield farmers from rising global fertiliser prices and is rolling out a ‘Farmer ID’ system to ensure transparent distribution and prevent diversion.

Addressing a press conference at his residence here, Chouhan said that despite an increase in international raw material costs, the government has decided to keep fertilizer prices unchanged for farmers.

“A bag of urea will continue to be available at Rs 266, and DAP at Rs 1,350. The government is bearing the entire additional burden so that farmers are not affected,” he said.

He informed that the Union Cabinet has approved an additional allocation of Rs 41,000 crore to sustain the subsidy, ensuring that farmers do not face any financial strain due to global price fluctuations.

Raising concerns over misuse, the Union Minister said subsidised fertilisers are often diverted for industrial or non-agricultural purposes. To tackle this, the Centre is developing a ‘Farmer ID’ based system.

“This model will link every farmer’s landholding, crop details, and family information to a single ID. Based on this, the exact requirement of fertilisers will be determined,” Chouhan explained.

He added that the system aims to strike a balance by ensuring adequate supply to genuine farmers while preventing hoarding, black marketing, and excessive procurement. “Our goal is that no farmer faces a shortage, but at the same time, misuse is strictly controlled,” he said.

According to the Minister, over 92.9 million Farmer IDs have already been generated, and the government aims to extend coverage to around 130 million farmers across the country.

Chouhan also addressed challenges faced by sharecroppers and tenant farmers. He said a model — successfully piloted in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana — allows such farmers to access fertilisers based on written authorization from landowners.

“We are working to refine this system further and implement it nationwide so that no cultivator is left out,” The Minister stated.

Touching upon global developments, Chouhan said the government is closely monitoring the impact of geopolitical tensions on fertilizer supply and agricultural exports. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, continuous high-level meetings are being held to ensure uninterrupted availability of fertilisers,” he said.

He reiterated that protecting farmers remains the government’s top priority. “We are committed to ensuring fair prices, adequate inputs, and minimum impact of global crises on our farmers,” Chouhan added.

–IANS

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