NEW DELHI, April 8 -- The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) rates worth about Rs.41,533.81 crore for phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilizers for the upcoming kharif season, raising support as global fertilizer prices remain volatile.

The budgetary requirement for the kharif fertilizer subsidy in 2026 is about Rs.4,317 crore higher than the Rs.37,216.15 crore allocated for kharif 2025. It is also roughly Rs.3,582 crore more than the subsidy requirement for the rabi 2025-26 season.

"Under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme for our 'Annadatas' and farmer brothers, a complete subsidy programme worth Rs.41,534 crore has been approved today for farmers for the Kharif season," Union minister Ashwini Vaishn...