However, there has been a marked difference in the offtake of certain fertilisers like muriate of potash (MOP) and certain complex fertilisers during the period vis-a-vis last year.

According to industry sources, potash availability has been very poor during this period as imports have been hampered. This has led to a crisis with manufacturers being asked not to mix potash in complex fertilisers in order to make the availability of plain potash somewhat comfortable during the initial monsoon period.

The offtake of MOP has dropped by almost 44 per cent to 45,800 tonnes during April-June 1998, from 81,600 tonnes during the same period last year. Even as the consumption of MOP in Gujarat has gone up by 8.7 per cent to 16,100 tonnes, the same in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh has witnessed a steep slump due to non-availability of the fertiliser.

InMaharashtra, the consumption of MOP witnessed a sharp 59 per cent drop to 23,000 tonnes during the period as against 56,000 tonnes in the previous year. The consumption of the fertiliser in Madhya Pradesh was lower at 6,700 tonnes as compared to 10,800 tonnes in the same period last year.

The total urea consumption in the western region during April-June this year has dropped to 6.21 lakh tonnes from 7.03 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period last year. This represents an 11.6 per cent drop in off take of urea in the western region. Of this, Maharashtra accounts for a marginal drop in consumption to 3.21 lakh tonnes during the period from 3.62 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. In Gujarat, the urea consumption increased marginally to 1.78 lakh tonnes from 1.74 lakh tonnes. The offtake of urea in Madhya Pradesh went down to 1.22 lakh tonne from 1.67 lakh tonnes in the same period last year.

Diammonium phosphate (DAP) consumption in the western region too has dropped marginally to 3.03 lakh tonnesduring April-June this year from 3.6 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. The DAP consumption in Maharashtra dropped by around 11 per cent to 1.08 lakh tonnes from 1.22 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. Both Gujarat and Maharashtra witnessed an 18 per cent drop in DAP consumption.

The offtake of single super phosphate (SSP) has, however, remained more or less stagnant at 3.5 lakh tonnes. However, in Madhya Pradesh the SSP consumption decreased by 9 per cent to over two lakh tonnes during the period. Maharashtra experienced a 22 per cent rise in consumption of SSP, while in Gujarat the fertiliser marked a 32 per cent fall in consumption.

In contrast to the low pick-up in MOP, the consumption of ammonium sulphate (AS) during the period was remarkably high. The ammonium sulphate consumption increased by an astounding 166 per cent to 25,600 tonnes from 9,600 tonnes last year. Industry sources said that the higher consumption of ammonium sulphate has offset the lower pick up in MOP during theperiod.

Offtake of ammonium sulphate in Gujarat increased to 17,000 tonnes from 5,500 tonnes in the same period last year, while in Maharashtra the consumption was 8,500 tonnes (4,000 tonnes).

The reason for the higher consumption of ammonium sulphate during April-June 1998 over the previous period is mainly because farmers were able to absorb the price hike which was undertaken in 1997. Price increase in ammonium sulphate in 1997 immediately affected its consumption during that period.The consumption of popular complex fertiliser 20:20:0 dropped by a sharp 30 per cent in Gujarat to 7,700 tonnes from 11,400, and by a margin of 63 per cent in Maharashtra to 26,800 tonnes (73,700 tonnes).

Similarly, owing to poor availability of the complex fertiliser 19:19:19, its off take was adversely affected in Maharashtra. The consumption dropped to 5,000 tonnes during the period from 25,000 tonnes last year. However, the increased off take of other complex fertilisers like 17:17:17 has compensated for the overallconsumption pattern of NPK.

Industry experts feel that the total consumption of NPK has not improved over the previous year due to delayed and intermittent rains in various regions of the western zone. They said that the consumption would improve with an additional dose of rain through an impending second shower. Industry observers expect the fertiliser offtake to ameliorate during the period July to September if the rainfall is favourable.

Further, they added, that the consumption of certain fertilisers during the period may have been affected considering the poor economic condition of the farming community which has not improved over last year.