AHMEDABAD: After months of farmers alleging forced bundling of Nano Liquid Urea with conventional urea, the Gujarat government has now informed in the Assembly that 41 complaints were received in one year, which prompted notices, suspensions and a formal circular banning the practice.
For months, farmers across Gujarat have been alleging that Nano Liquid Urea bottles were being compulsorily sold along with conventional urea.
Responding to a legislative question in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, the Agriculture Minister confirmed that as of December 31, 2025, a total of 41 complaints had been received over the past year alleging forced bundling of Nano Liquid Urea with standard fertiliser purchases, thereby validating what farmer groups had long claimed.
Even limited coercive practices distort input markets, undermine farmer choice, and inflate cultivation costs.
The government stated that following investigations, notices were issued in 23 cases, while the licenses of 12 dealers were suspended. Moreover, the state has now issued a circular explicitly instructing dealers not to mandatorily sell Nano Liquid Urea with conventional urea, warning of action under existing rules if violations surface.
Ironically, the controversy unfolds at a time when Nano Liquid Urea is being promoted as a technological leap in Indian agriculture. Manufacturers describe it as an indigenously developed, nanotechnology-based nitrogen fertiliser designed to supplement or partially replace traditional granular urea, positioning it as a sustainable alternative in modern farming.
They claim the liquid formulation improves nitrogen use efficiency, reduces nitrogen leaching into groundwater, and cuts gaseous emissions such as nitrous oxide, a potent contributor to global warming.
Field trials across 94 crops in India, companies assert, have shown an average yield increase of about 8%, while the compact bottle format significantly lowers transportation and warehousing costs.