ONE NATION ONE FERTILISER

Why in news? : Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has decided to implement One Nation One Fertilizer by introducing a “Single Brand for Fertilizers and Logo” under the fertilizer subsidy scheme named “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna” (PMBJP).

Objectives of this scheme : The single brand name for UREA, DAP, MOP and NPK etc. would be BHARAT UREA, BHARAT DAP, BHARAT MOP and BHARAT NPK etc. respectively for all Fertilizer Companies, State Trading Entities (STEs) and Fertilizer Marketing Entities (FMEs).

Also, “a logo indicating Fertiliser subsidy scheme namely Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna will be used on said fertiliser bags”.

How to implement? : The companies are allowed to display their name, brand, logo and other relevant product information only on one-third space of their bags. On the remaining two-thirds space, the “Bharat” brand and Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana logo will have to be shown.

When the government is spending vast sums of money on fertiliser subsidy (the bill is likely to cross Rs 200,000 crore in 2022-23), plus deciding where and at what price companies can sell, it would obviously want to take credit and send that message to farmers.

Disadvantages of Scheme :

- It will disincentivise fertiliser companies from undertaking marketing and brand promotion activities. They will now be reduced to contract manufacturers and importers for the government. Any company’s strength ultimately is its brands and farmer trust built over decades.