Cabinet approves nutrient based subsidy rates for Rabi 2025-26 on phosphatic and potassic fertilizers

New Delhi [India], October 28 (ANI): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilisers to fix the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for the Rabi season 2025-26 on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers. The rates will be effective from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, as per an official press release.
According to the release, the tentative budgetary requirement for the Rabi season 2025-26 will be around Rs 37,952.29 crore. This amount is about Rs 736 crore higher than the estimated subsidy for the Kharif season of 2025. The government aims to ensure that fertilisers such as Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and NPKS (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potash, and Sulphur) grades remain easily available to farmers at affordable prices through these approved subsidy rates.
The Cabinet stated that the move will help maintain the steady supply of P&K fertilisers to farmers and support them during the Rabi cropping season. It will also help rationalise subsidy levels based on the recent global price trends of fertilisers and their key inputs.
Under the Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme, which has been in place since April 1, 2010, the government provides subsidies to manufacturers and importers of fertilisers so that farmers can buy them at reasonable prices. At present, 28 grades of P&K fertilisers, including DAP, are supplied under this system.
The approval for the Rabi 2025-26 season comes amid changing international market conditions for fertiliser components like urea, DAP, muriate of potash (MOP), and sulphur. The government said that subsidies will be released to fertiliser companies as per the approved rates to keep prices affordable for farmers across the country.
"The subsidy would be provided to the fertiliser companies as per approved and notified rates so that fertilisers are made available to farmers at affordable prices," the release stated. (ANI)