New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday raised the subsidy on phosphorous (P) and sulphur (S) fertilisers for the ongoing 2025-26 rabi season, with a higher subsidy allocation of Rs 37,952 crore to provide relief to the farming community.
However, the subsidy rate for nitrogen (N) and potash (K) were kept unchanged. The rates will be effective from October 1, 2025 till March 31, 2026.
The Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, increased the subsidy for phosphate to Rs 47.96 per kg for the ongoing rabi season from Rs 43.60 per kg in the 2025 kharif season. Similarly, the subsidy for sulphur was raised to Rs 2.87 per kg from Rs 1.77 per kg for the period under review.
The subsidy rate for nitrogen and potash were, however, kept unchanged at Rs 43.02 per kg and Rs 2.38 per kg, respectively.
“The subsidy approved for 2025 rabi season is higher by about Rs 14,000 crore from the previous rabi season (2024). During the last rabi season, the subsidy was about Rs 24,000 crore,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters.
The subsidy rate has been fixed, considering the import price and other factors like nutrient requirement, subsidy burden and maximum retail price (MRP), he said.
The government has provided a special package to ensure availability of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple super phosphate (TSP) to farmers without any increased MRP.
Prices of phosphorous and sulphur have increased up to 10 per cent from previous levels, while nitrogen and potash are at the same level, he said.
“DAP and TSP are highly consumed fertilisers. The increase in subsidy rate will benefit farmers in the rabi season,” the minister said, adding that the government is bearing the burden to ensure retail prices of these fertilisers do not rise.
The Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme is a central government initiative that provides subsidies for non-urea fertilisers based on their nutrient content — specifically nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and sulphur.
The subsidy is determined per kilogram for each nutrient contained in P&K fertilisers, with rates announced annually or bi-annually based on global and domestic prices, inventory, and currency exchange rates.
Only phosphatic and potassic fertilisers (28-plus grades including DAP, MOP, SSP, NPK, and complexes), except urea, are covered under NBS.
The NBS scheme has been in effect since April 2010 and subsidies are paid directly to fertiliser companies, enabling them to sell fertilisers to farmers at affordable prices.
The government also provides freight subsidies for transport and distribution of these fertilisers.
Rabi (winter) sowing has started in many parts of the country. Wheat, mustard seed and gram are the main crops grown in this season.
