1991 the administrated prices of nitrogenous fertilizers were increased by 30 percent in accordance with the New Fertilizer Policy of the Union government.
Increases in the prices of phosphatic and pottassic fertilizers were in tune of 250 percent from August, 1992. Within a period of nine years from 1991-92 to 1999-2000 fertilizer and pesticide prices in the country increased manifold. During this period the price of urea increased from Rs to Rs 4600 per tonne (excluding sales tax, the price of superphosphate increased from Rs to Rs and the price of muriate of potash increased from Rs to Rs. The overall increase in the prices of these key fertilizers during this period are found to be 50.33 percent, 200 percent and 227.31 percent respectively. Meanwhile the prices of different types of pestcides also increased substantially. For example the price of monocrotophos increased from Rs 268 to Rs 346 per litre and the price of quinalphose rose from Rs 193 to Rs 390. Within the same period the average price of paddy seeds supplied by the National Seed Corporation (NSC) increased from Rs 580 to Rs 1450 per quintal and the Stale Seed Farm price of paddy rose from Rs 300 to Rs 900 showing a three- fold increase.
