Latest news with #NanoUreaPlus
Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Punjab: Study shows how a smart combo of fertilisers can protect soil health
A recent field study has shown that combining IFFCO's Nano Urea Plus and Nano Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) with traditional granules type urea DAP fertilisers can help farmers save 20% nitrogen and 25% phosphorus, without compromising on crop yield. The test was conducted on potato crop which demands high dose of both Urea and DAP. The findings point to a promising path forward for farmers looking to reduce the quantity of traditional fertilisers while protecting soil and water health. Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative limited (IFFCO), had lanched both Nano urea Plus and nano DAP in liquid form a few years ago. These fertilisers are being manufactured by the IFFCO while DAP and Urea in granules form are also manufactured in India but quite a significant quantities of both the fertilisers is imported by the country to meet the demand of Indian farmers. The research, led by RK Gupta, former professor and head of department of soil science, PAU, found that two foliar sprays of Nano Urea Plus used alongside just 80 of the recommended urea (traditional) dosage produced potato yields equal to a full (100%) urea dose. 'This means farmers can reduce their nitrogen fertilizer use by one-fifth and still maintain their harvest,' Gupta said. On the phosphorus side, Nano DAP showed even stronger results. When used as two sprays along with seed treatment and just 75% of the recommended DAP, potato yields were actually higher than those achieved using full doses of regular DAP, the study revealed. 'This translates into a 25% saving on phosphorus fertilizer without any drop in productivity—and in some cases, even an increase,' Gupta added. He said that they have also conducted tests by using lower and higher doses of both Nano urea and nano DAP with traditional fertilisers but results were not good. 'For instance when two sprays of Nano Urea Plus were used with only 60% of the usual traditional urea, potato yield dropped by 59%, meaning it didn't work well. Even using higher doses of urea with just one spray of Nano Urea Plus could also not increase the yield considerably and the best results were available at a combination of 80% traditional and 20% of nano urea and similarly for DAP at 75% (traditional) and 25% (nano) combination.' Why this matters Conventional nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are not only costly but also environmentally damaging. A significant portion of nitrogen fertilizer is lost to the environment through leaching and gas emissions, while phosphorus often gets locked in the soil and becomes unavailable to crops. These inefficiencies drive up costs for farmers and have pushed the government's fertiliser subsidy bill to Rs 1.67 lakh crore in 2025–26. As both urea and DAP are provided to the farmers by the government on a high subsidised subsidy. According to Gupta, these nano formulations — due to their extremely small particle size and high absorption rate — improve nutrient use efficiency by up to 90%. 'They ensure more nutrients reach the plant rather than getting wasted in the soil or atmosphere,' he said. A shift toward smarter farming In states like Punjab, where overuse of fertilisers is common, the combined use of nano and conventional fertilisers offers a balanced, eco-friendly approach to crop nutrition. Not only does this save huge import costs of these fertilisers, but it also reduces groundwater pollution from nitrates, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and eases the country's dependency on imported fertilizers. With sales of Nano Urea Plus and Nano DAP rising sharply—up 18% in Punjab in 2024-25—experts say farmers are beginning to embrace these modern solutions. In Punjab, for instance, sales reached 2.93 million bottles in 2024-25, 'With Punjab farmers historically applying more fertilisers than necessary, these findings offer a compelling case for a shift toward precision nutrient management,' said scientist, reducing fertiliser use by even 20% can yield wide-ranging benefits.
Mint
29-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Iffco expresses concern over slow adoption of its nano-fertilizers
Nano-technology-based fertilizers which contain plant nutrients in very small particle sizes have witnessed a lower-than-anticipated adoption, according to U.S. Awasthi, managing director, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. (Iffco). Iffco launched the world's first 'Nano Liquid Urea' fertilizer in June 2021 and came up with Nano-DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) fertilizers in April 2023. "The adoption of nano fertilizers is lower than anticipated as compared to solid fertilizers," said Awasthi, after announcing the financial results for Iffco. the country's largest agro-fertilizer manufacturer and distributor. He put this down to a lack of awareness of these high-efficiency fertilizers and reluctance among farmers. This is in spite of a significant increase in sales of nano-fertilizers in 2024-25 as compared with a year ago. In the last financial year, Iffco sold 36.50 million bottles of nano-fertilizers, an increase of 47% as over the 24.89 million bottles sold in the previous financial year. Out of 36.50 million bottles, 26.80 million were of Nano Urea Plus (Liquid) and 9.7 million of Nano DAP (Liquid). This is equivalent to 1.2 million tonnes of conventional Urea and 4.85 tonnes of conventional DAP. Considering the total industry volume of 35.80 million tonnes of conventional urea sold last year, the contribution of nano urea is just 3.36%. In case of DAP the contribution of nano-DAP is 5.04% of the total industry volume of 9.62 million tonnes of conventional DAP last year. "In order to increase penetration, we would increase our outreach activities and marketing campaign including social media," added Awasthi. Meanwhile, Iffco booked profit after tax at 2,823 crore in FY25 as compared with ₹ 2,443 crore in FY24. Revenue rose to ₹ 41,244 crore in FY25 fiscal, from ₹ 39,474 crore in the previous year. Commenting upon future plans, Awasthi added,"We will be also launching Nano NPK fertilizer in granular form. Nano NPK fertilizer is enriched with Magnesium, Sulphur, Zinc and Copper which would help in increasing the crop productivity & would minimize nutrient losses." He further said that Iffco will be also launching Nano Zinc and Nano Copper to fulfil micro-nutrients needs of plants. According to him, by incorporating nanotechnology, drones, and artificial intelligence, Iffco is transforming the agriculture & food value chain across the country. Brazil, Kenya and the US have expressed strong interest to adopt the nanotechnology fertilizers, he said. Iffco has expanded its presence in over 40 countries, with reduced rtilizer usage reported from the US\, Brazil, Slovenia, Mauritius, Zambia, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How does nano urea fertilizer benefit farmers? IFFCO's Yogendra Kumar explains
IFFCO Nano Urea serves as an innovative agricultural input utilising nanotechnology to deliver nitrogen to plants. (AI image) Nano urea is being seen as a revolutionary invention in agriculture. From its price to the method of use and potential to increase incomes of farmers, nano urea is an important solution in the agriculture sector . According to Yogendra Kumar, Marketing Director at IFFCO, using the nano urea fertilizer will help increase the soil yield. This is because lesser amount of fertilizer will be required. Yogendra Kumar also said that nano urea fertilizer nourishes the crop to make it healthy. Nano Urea Plus (Liquid) is an enhanced version of Nano Urea, featuring a higher nitrogen concentration (20% N w/v equivalent to 16% N w/w). This formulation incorporates various nitrogen forms (Urea-Amide, Ammoniacal, Aminos etc.) and includes bio-polymers and additional excipients in its composition. Incidentally, IFFCO Nano Urea (Liquid) is the world's first nanofertilizer which has been notified by Fertilizer Control Order (FCO, 1985), Government of India. "The crops are healthier and the chances of pest infestation are greatly reduced. Additionally, even if there is a case of pest infestation, the treatment required would be minor." He also says that nano urea is a cost-effective and environment friendly option for farmers. Yogendra Kumar added that healthier crops with higher strength in holding on to the soil due to use of nano urea are able to bear natural disturbances like higher wind speeds better. IFFCO Nano Urea serves as an innovative agricultural input utilising nanotechnology to deliver nitrogen to plants. It represents a sustainable alternative for farmers, promoting efficient agriculture whilst addressing climate change concerns. Its effectiveness as a fertilizer stems from its optimal particle dimensions of 20-50 nm, enhanced surface area (10,000 times greater than a 1mm urea pill) and increased particle count (55,000 nitrogen particles compared to a 1mm urea pill). The enhanced properties of nano urea result in superior crop absorption, with over 80% availability, leading to improved nutrient utilisation efficiency. Top benefits of Nano Urea Better quality food Reduction in chemical fertilizer usage Environment friendly Higher crop yields Easy to store and transport Increased income for farmers Nano urea serves as a crucial element in 4 R nutrient stewardship, advancing both precision farming and sustainable agricultural practices. Its manufacturing process exemplifies clean and environmentally friendly technology, requiring minimal energy and resource consumption during industrial production. Furthermore, Nano urea significantly reduces the environmental impact by decreasing nutrient losses from agricultural lands through leaching and gaseous emissions, which previously contributed to environmental degradation and climate change effects. Nano Urea Plus demonstrates considerable energy efficiency and produces fewer carbon dioxide emissions compared to alternative products. Additionally, the application of Nano Urea Plus (Liquid) enables farmers to decrease their usage of conventional top-Dressed Urea (Granular/Prill) by as much as 50%. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
