NEEM COATED UREA: A STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE:

With limited scope for horizontal expansion in the net cultivable area due to demands of an ever-increasing population, it is essential that highly efficient management practices and modern scientific techniques are adopted to increase agricultural production in India. Efficient water and nutrient management are the key elements of intensive agriculture. At the current use levels of primary nutrients (N, P, K) of 20 million tons, almost two thirds of this quantity is accounted for, by nitrogen alone.  Globally, nitrogenous fertilizers are produced in 72 countries, the total production being 94 million tons in 2002–03 as compared to nearly 50 million tons in 1970.  Forecasts suggest that the consumption of nitrogenous fertilizers is likely to rise to 134 million tons in the next decade.

It is worthwhile to note that urea constitutes nearly 80% of the total straight nitrogenous fertilizer consumption in India. In quantity terms nearly more than 20 million tons of urea is used in India currently, and it is safe to presume that urea would continue to maintain its predominant position among nitrogenous fertilizers.  On the other hand, globally, due to use of other nitrogenous fertilizers, namely, liquid ammonia, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate, the contribution of urea usage is less than half of the total nitrogenous fertilizers.

Urea Transformations:

Under the environmental conditions encountered in most parts of India, urea after application to soils hydrolyses fairly rapidly to ammonium carbonate, over a maximum period of about a week. The ammoniacal form of nitrogen is subsequently converted to nitrite and then to nitrate by the action of nitrifying bacteria viz. Nitrosomonas sps. and Nitrobacter sps., respectively. The processes of hydrolysis and nitrification of urea fertilizer are to a large extent completed in about 15–20 days under most agroclimatic conditions. In this context, it should be noted that the duration of most cultivated crops extends beyond 90–100 days, and therefore, nitrates formed as a result of the relatively rapid hydrolysis and nitrification of urea being highly soluble, and in excess of the limited quantities required by the crops at their early stages of growth are liable to be leached down the soil profile, beyond the active root zone of crops.  Moreover, under waterlogged conditions nitrates are reduced to elemental nitrogen and nitrous oxide by the action of denitrifying bacteria to meet their oxygen demand.  This leads to the development of nitrogen deficiency and poor crop yields.  In view of this it is most important that fertilizer use efficiency needs to be improved to make fertilizer use economically viable and more attractive.

Scientists around the world are concentrating their efforts on regulating the nitrogen supply to crops by reducing the rate of either hydrolysis or nitrification or both, so as to ensure continuous and optimal supply of nitrogen to match the requirements of crops at different stages of growth. A considerable volume of data is available on the potential of the constituents of neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds known as triterpenes as effective nitrification inhibitors. In fact the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in its publication ‘Technology for Rice Production’ for different states has recommended the use of neem cake blended or coated urea. In spite of the encouraging results obtained with the use of urea coated with neem cake, this practice has not attracted the attention of farmers on a large scale because the process of coating urea with neem cake is cumbersome and because neem cake is not readily available at the farm level.

Industrial Developments:
During late eighties and early nineties, some industries including M/s. Godrej Agrovet Ltd. developed ready to use neem extracts containing neem triterpenes which could be mixed with urea straight away to obtain the neem coated urea (NCU), thus eliminating the use of neem cake and coal tar and other additives. Neem coated urea produced using concentrated extracts were extensively evaluated under large field trials and were found to show great yield improvements. At this stage it was envisaged that neem coated urea could be produced by urea manufacturers, however, urea being controlled under Essential Commodity Act and Fertilizer Control Order, a special permission by concerned Ministry was required to produce and market fortified urea (neem coated urea) fertilizer.

Since this exercise was going to take quite sometime, as an interim arrangement, manufacturers started marketing neem based urea coating agents in the market and farmers were advised to mix urea coating agent with urea before application. Currently, more than 20 entrepreneurs sell such neem based urea coating products in the market.

Industry Representation:
Since production of neem coated urea at urea manufacturing location was the ultimate solution, the industry continued its efforts with Government of India to seek their approval for the endeavor.  At this stage Neem Foundation also joined the industry to serve the novel cause.  In fact a delegation under the leadership of Dr. R. C. Saxena, Chairman - Neem Foundation, met Mr. Suresh Prabhu, the then Minister of Fertilizers and Chemicals, Government of India with the following demands.

(i)    Inclusion of neem coated urea as accepted category of fertilizers in Schedule I of the Fertilizer Control Order.
(ii)    Subsidy component available for uncoated urea should also be available for neem coated urea.
(iii)    Grant of small premium in price of neem coated urea vis-à-vis uncoated urea in order to take care of the cost of coating agent and technology for coating urea with neem extracts.
(iv)    Directing fertilizer factories to coat at least 10% of their production with neem.

It is heartening to mention here that due to continuous efforts and perseverance of the Industry and Neem Foundation, Government of India finally on May 12, 2003, issued a notification indicating FCO Amendments to include specifications of neem coated urea to be produced by M/s. National Fertilizers Ltd. (NFL). However, it was clarified that Government of India has decided to permit all the manufacturers who wish to manufacture neem coated urea at their factories.

It may be pointed out here that only one out of the four demands listed above have been met. NFL, producer of neem coated urea are absorbing additional costs in their system and do not wish to seek additional selling price for their neem coated urea.

It would not be out of place to mention here that NFL produces neem coated urea by using very low quantity of neem oil emulsion, which is primarily aimed at prevention of caking and reduction in losses during storage.  Increase in yield upto 4-5% as claimed by producers (NFL) is considered incidental, whereas on the other hand the product developed by the industry is aimed at improvement in agronomic efficiency as primary objective and reduction in caking and losses during storage being additional advantage. As it has been established for several years, higher agronomic efficiency is attributed to presence of neem triterpenes for which products need to be specifically formulated. A efficacious and stable Neem coating product would certainly require price support from Government of India. 

Therefore, it is emphasized here that by granting permission to manufacture NCU, the authorities in India have taken one step in right direction. However much more needs to be done, if we have to really reap the benefit of this wonderful technological innovation.

In summary, the advantages of the neem coated urea can be enumerated as follows:

1.    Saving of 10% of the losses of urea would amount to 2 million tons of urea or a reduction in subsidy component to the tune of Rs. 1,200 crores per annum (considering total subsidy on urea to be Rs. 12,000 crores per annum).
2.    Proportional saving in the consumption of naphtha or natural gas.
3.    Increased crop yields due to better nitrogen utilization.
4.    Reduction in environmental pollution of ground water due to leaching of nitrates and gaseous emissions.   
5.    Opportunity for entrepreneurs to commercialize local Neem Resources and Development of Small Scale Industries in rural areas