New Delhi, July 22 (PTI) The urea production rose to record 244.55 lakh tonne in 2019-20 while sales increased 5 per cent to 336.97 lakh tonne, according to the government data.

The shortfall between domestic production of urea and demand is met through imports.

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"Production and movement of fertilizers remain comfortable across the country. 2019-20 (saw) record high urea production of 244.55 lakh tonne as compared to 240 lakh tonne during 2018-19.

"While sales / consumption of urea reached 336.97(lakh metric tonne) LMT as compared to 320.20 LMT of the previous year i.e. 2018-19," the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry said in a statement.

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Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda said production and movement of fertilizers remain comfortable across the country despite COVID-19 pandemic.

There would be no scarcity of fertilizers this year also, he said.

During April-June 2020, total fertilizers production touched 101.15 lakh tonne, which is 2.79 per cent higher than the corresponding period of last year. Urea output was at 60.38 lakh tonne, which is 8.40 per cent higher than June quarter 2019.

"Sales/consumption of different fertilizers substantially increased during 2019-20 as compared to 2018-19," the statement said.

Urea sales increased 5.29 per cent at 336.97 lakh tonne while demand of diammonium phosphate (DAP) increased by 15.67 per cent to 101.04 lakh tonne in 2019-20.

Sales of muriate of potash (MOP) were up 3.45 per cent at 27.91 lakh tonne while that of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur (NPKS) fertiliser rose 9.95 per cent to 105.18 lakh tonne, it added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)