The Indian government recently informed the Rajya Sabha that the application of Nano Urea as a top dressing can significantly reduce the use of conventional urea while maintaining crop yield. According to relevant research, applying Nano Urea twice on top of the recommended basal nitrogen fertilizer dose can reduce urea usage by 25-50%, with yields not decreasing but rather increasing. For some crops, yield improvements ranged between 3-8%.
In a written reply, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur, stated: "Based on bio-efficacy trials conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), the government has provisionally approved Nano Urea as a nano nitrogen fertilizer under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO). The trials covered various crops including rice, wheat, and maize. Results showed that combining basal nitrogen fertilizer with two top dressings of Nano Urea yielded results comparable to using the full recommended dose of urea, while saving 25-50% of urea."
Furthermore, based on similar trial results, the government has also notified Nano DAP and Nano Zinc as fertilizers. Manufacturers of nano fertilizers are required to conduct more bio-efficacy trials under the supervision of ICAR/SAUs across different agro-climatic zones. ICAR has initiated a network project, planned to start from November 2025, at 14 centers to study the long-term effects of Nano Urea application on yield, quality, and soil for 12 different crops.
Regarding the Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme, Thakur indicated progress in reducing paddy straw burning. Compared to 2017, paddy straw burning incidents in 2025 decreased by 92.4% in Punjab, 94.9% in Haryana, and 17% in Uttar Pradesh. From 2018-19 to 2025-26, the government has disbursed approximately ₹41,738.4 crore and supplied over 350,000 management machines to support farmers in adopting sustainable practices.
On the trade front, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, provided shrimp export data. From August to December 2025, India exported 94,484 tonnes of shrimp to the USA, valued at ₹73,882.1 crore, a decline compared to 138,591 tonnes valued at ₹95,326.9 crore during the same period in 2024, reflecting market changes following the implementation of US tariffs.
