UPSC Prelims 2020 Question:

With reference to chemical fertilizers in India

consider the following statements: 

1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market -driven and not administered by the Government. 
2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas. 
3. Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by -product of oil refineries.
    

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation:

• The Government of India subsidises fertilisers to ensure that farmers have access to them and that the country remains self-sufficient in agriculture. This has largely been accomplished by controlling the price of fertiliser and the amount of production. On an annual basis, the government announces a fixed rate of subsidy (in Rs. per Kg basis) on each nutrient of subsidised fertilisers, namely nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulphur (S) under the Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme. So, statement 1 is not correct.
  
  
• Ammonia is produced from natural gas. The molecules of natural gas are broken down into carbon and hydrogen. After being cleaned, the hydrogen is combined with nitrogen to create ammonia. Ammonia is utilised as fertiliser in around 75% of cases, either directly as ammonia or indirectly through the creation of urea, ammonium nitrate, and mono- or diammonium phosphates. So, statement 2 is correct.
  
  
• Sulphur is a significant by-product of the gas and oil processing industries. Most crude oil grades contain some sulphur, but to meet rigorous restrictions for sulphur content in refined goods, the majority of this sulphur is removed during the refining process. It is then used as a raw material for producing phosphoric acid fertiliser. So, statement 3 is correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: Environment | Agriculture and Allied Sectors