Neem coated urea – The untold story

Neem Coated Urea

Need for coating urea

In India Urea is most prominent supplier of nitrogen in agriculture. Urea is highly soluble in water as result nitrification and de-nitrification reduces its efficiency. If urea is coated with neem the loss can be minimized as coating of urea makes it a slow release fertilizer, making available to plants for a longer duration. Coating of urea with neem is environmentally also advantages because firstly, a reduced solubility of urea keeps contamination of ground water under control and secondly, the coating reduces ammonia volatilization and controls atmospheric pollution. This environmental friendly endeavor can be converted into economic boon for farmers also.

Neem coated urea and Neem Foundation

From day one, for Neem Foundation promotion of neem coated urea was an important mission due to minimal awareness at government and farmers level. Few individuals and organizations were involved in its propaganda but their voice was feeble and was not reaching to anyone’s ear. It was with the coming of the Neem Foundation after studying the importance of neem coated urea with the help of available literature and discussing with experts in the field prepared sound case to present to the government. The first endeavor was made in IIPA meet on 8th April 1999 with proper data and need for the neem coated urea. This maiden effort was well appreciated by the intellectuals participated in the meet. This gave impetus to Neem Foundation to take the issue on higher level – to the government.

The course of events followed later can be summarized as follows….

  1. 4thJanuary 2000 – Fax to Hon. Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India stating few facts and importance of the issue.
  2. 15th January 2000 – Letter from Hon Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India informing that he is looking into the matter of neem coating urea.
  3. 18th January 2000 – Neem Foundation sent detailed literature on “Coating urea with neem“ to Hon. Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India.
  4. 1st February 2000 – Hon. Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India informed that he is having the matter examined.
  5. 3rd May 2001 – Neem Foundation sent letter to Hon Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India “About Urea Coating with Neem Extracts” and also sent copy to Hon. Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Power, with a copy Government of India.
  6. 14th June 2001 – Hon. Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Power, Government of India forwarded letter to Government of India stating “You may like to have the matter considered for necessary action”.
  7. 10th April 2002 – Letter from Neem Foundation to Shri V N Rai MD, KRIBHCO about request for follow–up on coating of urea with neem extracts.
  1. 4th April 2003 – Fax to The Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers (Dept. of Fertilizers) New Delhi about meeting to consider the status paper on neem coating of urea.

Such communication at various levels was continued from Neem Foundation. At the same time Foundation was taking opportunity bring this vital issue to the notice of various agencies and intellectuals through World Neem Conferences taking place every five years i.e. 2002, 2007 and 2012. As well as through Foundations mouth piece Neem Update as and when possible.

With the confidence in government of the day Neem Foundation began preparation for the production of good quality neem products especially neem oil and neem cake required for the coating urea. For having good quality product good quality trees is the basic requirement hence Neem Foundation has developed a model neem plantation at Nagpur. The motive behind this growth of trees is to demonstrate to the farmers how well nurtured neem tree can yield more returns and provide extra penny to them. This is important from two angles firstly; it will provide additional income to the farmer from drought affected areas of the country which is truly neem country where neem grows luxuriantly.  Secondly, with the government’s efforts towards making neem coating compulsory for urea demand for neem oil and neem cake will increase which will help farmers to produce more raw material to satisfy that demand. Keeping these two aspects in mind Neem Foundations has already started communicating with government which can be seen in the letter dated 15th January 201 to Hon Shri Anant Kumarji, Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India where in Foundation has written “Sir, in the interest of the measure, we would request that you take a practical view & further additional price hike of 5% be considered for NCU, in view of the escalating neem oil prices”

Future plans of Neem Foundation

Thus, with this environmental and economic decision of twenty first century Neem Foundation has already began communication with government for price hike in neem product for economic benefits of farmers.

Thus the Neem Foundation was successful in sensitizing policy maker to take this important stage. Make every part of India enriched with Neem.

India can never have enough Neem !!!