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.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 only
2 and 3 only
2 only
1, 2 and 3
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2020
2. **Ammonia production:** Ammonia (NH3), the primary input for urea synthesis, is predominantly produced in India and globally from natural gas (methane) through processes like steam reforming. This statement is correct.
3. **Sulphur as raw material:** Sulphur is a key raw material for producing sulphuric acid (H2SO4), which is essential for manufacturing various phosphatic fertilizers (like Single Super Phosphate – SSP, Diammonium Phosphate – DAP). Sulphur is a significant by-product recovered from the desulfurization of crude oil and natural gas in refineries and processing plants. This statement is correct.