Beginning with the topic of addressing India’s ongoing agricultural challenges, a new development has emerged in the form of ‘Urea Gold’, a fertilizer variant launched by the Indian Prime Minister. This promising innovation is anticipated to greatly contribute to increasing crop yields and improving nutrient utilization within Indian soils, which are often deficient in sulfur, an essential nutrient for crops. The shift towards such advanced fertilizer options represents a critical move in the broader context of India’s agricultural scenario.
Understanding Urea Gold
Urea Gold is a product of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF), a leading public sector company specializing in fertilizer and chemical manufacturing. It enhances the traditional urea by infusing it with sulfur, resulting in a composite fertilizer containing 37% nitrogen (N) and 17% sulfur (S). This innovative blend serves two primary purposes: meeting the sulfur requirements of Indian soils and augmenting nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).
The Features of Urea Gold
One of the key features of Urea Gold is its ability to address soil deficiencies, particularly concerning the lack of sulfur. The latter is an essential element necessary for the healthy growth of oilseeds and pulses, both of which are major crops in India. By adding sulfur into the fertilizer formula, Urea Gold can fulfill crop-specific nutrient needs.
Another notable feature of Urea Gold is its engagement with enhancing nitrogen efficiency. The presence of a sulfur coating acts as a deterrent against rapid nitrogen release, thus ensuring prolonged nutrient availability, maintaining plant greenness for an extended period, and decreasing usage frequency.
Potential Yield Increase through Urea Gold
Through its gradual release of nutrients, Urea Gold minimizes wastage, enhances nutrient uptake by plants, and holds potential for considerable improvement in crop yield.
The Status of Urea Consumption in India
Commonly used as a synthetic fertilizer in agriculture, urea is a white crystalline compound that undergoes enzymatic breakdown into ammonia and carbon dioxide upon application to soil or crops. Subsequently, the resultant ammonia is converted into ammonium ions, a form suitable for plant roots for growth and development. In recent years, the consumption of urea in India rose from 26.7 million tonnes (mt) in 2009-10 to 35.7 mt in 2022-23.
Urea Modifications: Neem Coated Urea and Liquid Nano Urea
In order to counteract the leaching and volatilization losses of nitrogen, India has seen the introduction of neem-coated urea that not only improves the soil texture and water-holding capacity but also possesses insecticidal and nematicidal properties. Another innovation is Liquid Nano Urea, a nanotechnology-based fertilizer that enhances the nutritional quality and productivity of the crop, reduces fertilizer consumption, and improves nitrogen use efficiency.
The Challenges Facing Urea Consumption
Despite these advancements, challenges persist. Significant issues include the dependency on imported natural gas for urea production, declining nitrogen use efficiency, and subsidy-related inefficiencies. These represent significant hurdles to sustainable and efficient urea usage.
Moving Forward with Fertilizer Use in India
Addressing these challenges requires innovative strategies. Some recommended approaches include the fortification of fertilizers with micronutrients, implementation of precision agriculture techniques, adoption of comprehensive nutrient management plans, promotion of diverse cropping patterns and crop rotation, and rationalisation and reform of the fertilizer subsidy system.
Ultimately, the utilization of enhanced fertilizers like Urea Gold represents an important step towards a more sustainable and productive agricultural sector in India. The ongoing adoption and development of such technologies hold immense potential for transforming the country’s farming landscape.
