(a) the total number of naphtha based fertilizer plants in the country;
(b) whether the Government are aware that the fertilizer plants are on the verge of closure
due to high price of naphtha;
(c) if so, whether any measures are being taken to save these plants especially the Phulpur
units of IFFCO; and
(d) if not, the reasons thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI SATYA BRATA MOOKHERJEE)
(a) to (d) At present, there are 11 urea plants based on naphtha in the country. They are:
1. Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Limited. Cochin-I 2. Duncans Industries Limited, Kanpur 3. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited, Phulpur-I 4. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited, Phulpur-II 5. Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited, Mangalore 6. Madras Fertilizers Limited, Chennai 7. Shriram Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, Kota 8. Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Limited, Turicorin 9. Nagajuna Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited 10. Chambal Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited 11. Zuari Industries Limited, GoaProduction of urea in the country is subsidised under the Retention Price-cum- Subsidy Scheme (RPS) introduced in November 1977. RPS enables the manufacturers to recover their normative cost of production along with reasonable return on networth. Hence, the closure of plants due to high price of naphtha does not arise.