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UPSC Prelims 2020 Paper-1 📅 04 Oct, 2020

With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements:
1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
3. 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?

A
1 only
B
2 and 3 only
C
2 only
D
1, 2 and 3
Result Summary
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APEDIA

UPSC Prelims
2020 • 04 Oct, 2020 • Paper-1
With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements:
1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
3. 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?
Correct Answer
2 and 3 only
Price Regulation Reality: While certain Phosphorus and Potassium (P&K) fertilizers enjoy a degree of deregulation under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme, Urea ......
Ref/Book : UPSC Prelims 2020
Ref. Subject Economy
Chapter -
Ref. Topic Agriculture
Pg. No -
💡 Analysis & Explanation
Price Regulation Reality ▼
While certain Phosphorus and Potassium (P&K) fertilizers enjoy a degree of deregulation under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme, Urea (which constitutes the vast majority of fertilizer use in India) remains under strict statutory price control. Its Maximum Retail Price (MRP) is heavily subsidized and administered directly by the Government. Statement 1 is entirely false.
Chemical Origin of Ammonia ▼
The industrial production of urea requires vast amounts of ammonia. This ammonia is primarily synthesized using the Haber-Bosch process, which heavily utilizes hydrogen extracted directly from natural gas. Statement 2 is correct.
Sulphur Extraction ▼
The production of phosphatic fertilizers requires substantial quantities of sulphur. In the modern industrial ecosystem, this elemental sulphur is predominantly recovered as a toxic by-product during the vital desulfurization processes carried out in petroleum oil refineries. Statement 3 is correct.
Conclusion ▼
Thus, only the chemical sourcing statements are correct.
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