Nano Urea

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Nano-urea, a product developed by the Indian Farmers and Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) and heavily advertised by government as panacea to reduce farmer dependence on packaged urea is yet to be fully tested despite having been fast tracked for commercial application.

• Nano urea is a patented and indigenously made liquid that contains nanoparticles of urea, the most crucial chemical fertiliser for farmers in India. 
• A single half-litre bottle of the liquid can compensate for a 45kg sack of urea that farmers traditionally rely on, it is claimed.
• Nano-urea would together mean India would be “self sufficient,” in the manufacture of urea.
• The most important fertiliser for India’s farmers and would no longer require the 90 lakh tons that it imported every year and would save the country close to ₹40,000 crore.
• Apart from significantly enhancing farmers’ income by lowering input and storage costs, nano urea liquid promises to increase agricultural yield and productivity.
• Nano urea liquid also promises to give a long-term solution for plant nutrition by increasing crop nutrient efficiency while lowering soil, water, and air pollution.
• It is very efficient to use because there is no wastage in application of Nano urea. Therefore, its efficacy is more than 80 per cent , whereas the conventional urea efficacy is only 30 per cent to 40 percent.
• According to the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, by 2025, India’s domestic urea production (conventional + nano-urea) would mean India would be self-sufficient in the manufacture of urea. This means, India would no longer require the 90 lakh tons that it imported every year and would save the country close to ₹40,000 crore.

Concerns

• Urea is highly water soluble and already reaches the lowest form of concentration when absorbed.
• It is uncertain how nanoparticles can improve nitrogen uptake efficiency by being even smaller.
• Moreover, scientists are still unclear if the product can on its own cut farmers’ dependence on urea.