The government would fix the maximum retail prices of these fertilizers and provide necessary subsidies to keep the prices at that level.

The CCEA, which met here yesterday, took this decision in view of the hardships faced by the farming community due to heavy floods in eastern India and prolonged droughts in others parts of the country, an official press release said here today.

Earlier in August 1998, the government took a decision to freeze the subsidy given on fertilizers and leave the retail prices of phospatic and potassic fertilizers to be decided by the market forces. Yesterday's decision was taken considering the anxiety and concern among the farmers about a possible increase in the prices of fertilizers.

The Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for diammonium phosphate (DAP) would continue tobe Rs 8,300 per tonne. In case of muriate of phosphate (MOP) it would be Rs 3,700 per tonne and for various grades of complexes Rs 6,200 to Rs 8,000 per tonne. In the case of single super phosphate the respective state governments would fix the MRP.

The government would give a concession of Rs 4,000 per tonne in the case of indigenous DAP, Rs 2,500 for imported DAP and Rs 2,500 for MOP. The rate of concession for complex fertilizers would be Rs 2,250 to Rs 3,646 for different grades. The rate of concession for SSP would be Rs 900 per tonne, the release added.