Rabi 2026-27 fertiliser subsidy (NBS) approved: Rs 62,370 crore for DAP and NPKS, 1 Oct 2026 to 31 Mar 2027

The Union Cabinet has approved Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers, including DAP and NPKS, for the Rabi season 2026-27, which runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, according to a PIB release dated 11 November 2026. The likely budget requirement is about Rs 62,370.02 crore, which is about Rs 24,417.73 crore more than the Rs 37,952.29 crore budgeted for Rabi 2025-26. The subsidy is paid to fertiliser companies so that farmers get these fertilisers at affordable prices. This guide explains what the release says, what it means for a farmer buying DAP, and what it leaves out.

What has the Cabinet approved for Rabi 2026-27 fertilisers?

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for Rabi 2026-27, applicable from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The decision was released by the Press Information Bureau on 11 November 2026.

The subsidy covers P&K fertilisers including DAP and NPKS grades. The Cabinet has approved the rates; the release does not list the actual per-kilogram rates, so those will come in a separate notification from the Department of Fertilizers.

How much money is involved?

The release puts the likely budgetary requirement for Rabi 2026-27 at about Rs 62,370.02 crore. It says this is about Rs 24,417.73 crore higher than the budget for Rabi 2025-26, which was Rs 37,952.29 crore.

Season	Budget requirement (Rs crore)
Rabi 2025-26	37,952.29
Rabi 2026-27 (likely)	62,370.02
Increase	about 24,417.73

The arithmetic in the release is consistent: 62,370.02 minus 37,952.29 equals 24,417.73. The release says the subsidy has been rationalised in view of recent trends in international prices, but it does not explain how much of the increase comes from which fertiliser.

What is the NBS scheme?

NBS stands for Nutrient Based Subsidy. According to the release, the subsidy on P&K fertilisers has been governed by the NBS scheme since 1 April 2010. Under it, the Government makes 28 grades of P&K fertilisers, including DAP, available to farmers at subsidised prices through manufacturers and importers.

In simple words, the Government fixes a subsidy for the nutrients in a fertiliser, and the company that makes or imports the fertiliser receives it. The farmer gains because the shop price is lower than the true cost. The farmer does not fill in a form for this subsidy.

Who actually receives the subsidy?

The release says that fertiliser companies will be given the subsidy as per the approved and notified rates, so that farmers can get fertiliser at affordable prices. The money goes to manufacturers and importers, not to the farmer’s bank account.

This is different from schemes such as PM-Kisan, where an instalment is transferred to the farmer. Here, a farmer cannot check a beneficiary status or apply; the benefit shows up as the price paid at the retail counter. If a shop asks for more than the price printed on the bag, that is a complaint to raise with the district agriculture office.

Why was the subsidy rationalised?

The release states that, in view of recent trends in international prices of fertilisers and raw materials, the subsidy on P&K fertilisers has been rationalised. In the background section it names inputs such as urea, DAP, MOP and sulphur.

The release gives the purpose as ensuring availability of fertilisers at subsidised, affordable and reasonable prices to farmers. It does not publish the new rates, so we cannot say here whether the subsidy per kilogram of a nutrient has gone up or down for any single product.

What does this mean for a farmer buying DAP or NPKS this Rabi?

For a farmer, the practical message is that the Government has approved the subsidy for the full Rabi period, 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, so DAP and NPKS supply is backed by an approved subsidy. The season already started on 1 October, and the release does not discuss how purchases made before 11 November are treated.

Buy only from authorised retailers, ask for a bill and read the maximum retail price on the bag. The release does not say that shop prices will change. If you face a shortage or overcharging, report it to the district agriculture office. State agriculture departments and the Department of Fertilizers are the official sources for prices.

How does this fit with other farmer support?

The fertiliser subsidy is a price support given through companies. It is separate from direct benefit schemes that put money in a farmer’s account. The release is only about P&K fertilisers and does not mention urea subsidy or any other scheme.

If you are searching for a direct payment, such as an instalment date, this release is not about that. For PM-Kisan and state schemes, read the official portals and our related guides. Do not pay anyone who offers to “get the fertiliser subsidy” for you; the subsidy is not applied for by farmers.

How reliable are the numbers, and where is the source?

All figures in this guide are from the PIB release dated 11 November 2026 (release ID 2334983), which reports the Cabinet decision. The budget numbers are described as likely or approximate requirements, not final spending. Final expenditure depends on actual sales and the notified rates.

Read the release on pib.gov.in. For the detailed rate table, watch for the notification from the Department of Fertilizers. Do not rely on forwarded messages with rates that do not link to an official source.

What the notice does not say

The release leaves several practical points open, and this guide does not guess them.

• It does not give the per-kilogram NBS rates for nitrogen, phosphorus, potash or sulphur.
• It does not state the retail price farmers will pay for a bag of DAP or NPKS.
• It does not mention urea; the decision is for P&K fertilisers.
• It does not split the Rs 62,370 crore between DAP and each NPKS grade.
• It does not give a helpline or complaint process, or say how purchases since 1 October are treated.

For these, wait for the Department of Fertilizers notification or ask your agriculture office.