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UPSC Prelims 2020 · Agriculture · Seeds, Water and Fertiliser
With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements:
- At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
- Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
- Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 2 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Gas → ammonia → urea ✓ and refinery sulphur → phosphoric acid ✓.
Statement by statement
1. ✗ WRONG — urea’s price is fixed The urea retail price is fixed by the Government (a 45-kg bag about ₹242). P and K fertilisers are under Nutrient Based Subsidy, with prices steered by the subsidy.
2. ✓ CORRECT Natural gas gives the hydrogen for ammonia (Haber–Bosch); ammonia + CO₂ → urea.
3. ✓ CORRECT Refineries strip sulphur from crude; it becomes sulphuric acid, used to make phosphoric acid and DAP.
The idea
India imports much of its gas, phosphate rock and potash — so fertiliser subsidy rises with world energy prices.
Natural gas → ammonia → urea
Why the others are wrong
(a) Accepts “market-driven prices”. Urea’s retail price is fixed by the Government; P and K prices are steered by subsidy.
(c) Drops the sulphur link — few connect fertiliser to oil refineries. Refinery sulphur → sulphuric acid → phosphoric acid → DAP.
(d) Accepts all three, missing that urea is still price-controlled.
The trap
Statement 1 sounds modern (“market-driven”). Urea is the one fertiliser whose retail price the Government still fixes.
🔒 Urea: price fixed · made from natural gas. P and K: Nutrient Based Subsidy. Sulphur for phosphoric acid comes from refineries.
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