Paradeep (Odisha) [India], March 7 : Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah dedicated the newly commissioned Sulphuric Acid Plant-3 (SAP-III) at the Paradeep unit of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) to the nation, marking a significant milestone in strengthening India's fertiliser infrastructure and supporting farmers across the country.
Speaking on the occasion on Friday, the Union Minister said that in the coming days, the Ministry of Cooperation of the Government of India and the Government of Odisha will work together to improve rural livelihoods in the state, as per an official release.
He informed that in 2005, IFFCO bought this plant for Rs 2,577 crore and at that time its production capacity was 7.5 lakh metric tonnes. Today, the capacity has increased to about 22 lakh metric tonnes, with approximately 15 per cent of production as blended fertilisers and around 40 per cent indigenous DAP.
"Wherever sulphuric acid is required in fertiliser factories and chemical industries in the country, it should be produced at IFFCO's Paradeep unit. IFFCO is running a movement to reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilisers through Nano Urea, Nano DAP and the PM-PRANAM (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth) scheme. This will help in protecting our soil. IFFCO has now become the world's largest cooperative unit in this field," Shah said.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister emphasised that whatever IFFCO earns benefits nearly five crore farmers of the country, and this is its biggest strength.
"Wherever IFFCO's factories are located, their real owners are the 5 crore farmers of India. IFFCO's turnover of more than Rs 41,000 crore, profit of over Rs 3,800 crore and net worth of more than Rs 28,000 crore belong to these farmers. This is the true strength of the cooperative model," he added.
Shah further noted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the Government of India and the Odisha government will collaborate through the cooperative sector to empower poor farmers, rural communities and especially women in Odisha, making them self-reliant in the coming days.
The new sulphuric acid plant has been established with an estimated project cost of around Rs 700 crore and has a production capacity of about 2,000 metric tonnes per day. The facility will significantly enhance the operational capability of the Paradeep complex, which is one of India's largest integrated phosphatic fertiliser production units.
The dedication ceremony was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani, IFFCO Managing Director KJ Patel, MPs, state ministers, senior officials and representatives from the cooperative sector.
Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah also highlighted the important role of the cooperative sector in strengthening India's rural economy, noting that institutions like IFFCO have played a transformative role in empowering millions of farmers across the country.
Shah also added that the Government of India is committed to strengthening the cooperative movement so that farmers can become economically stronger and agriculture can move towards greater self-reliance.
He also noted that the expansion of fertiliser infrastructure using modern technology will help ensure the timely availability of essential agricultural inputs to farmers and improve productivity in the agriculture sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the commissioning of the new plant at Paradeep will accelerate industrial development in the state. He said Odisha is emerging as an important industrial hub and projects of this scale help attract investment while also creating employment opportunities for local people.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the expansion of IFFCO's Paradeep complex will strengthen the country's fertiliser production capacity and ensure the timely availability of fertilisers to farmers, which is essential for sustaining agricultural growth and improving farmers' incomes.
IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani said that IFFCO has always worked with the primary objective of serving farmers and strengthening the cooperative movement. He said the commissioning of Sulphuric Acid Plant-3 reflects IFFCO's commitment to expanding production capacity and adopting modern technologies for the benefit of farmers.
He added that the new plant will improve the availability of key raw materials required for fertiliser production and make the production process more efficient. He said IFFCO represents millions of farmers across India and continues to work towards strengthening agriculture and rural prosperity.
IFFCO Managing Director KJ Patel provided technical details of the project and said that the plant has been built using advanced and environmentally efficient technology. He said the new facility will enhance the production capacity and operational efficiency of the Paradeep unit and strengthen the supply chain for fertiliser manufacturing.
The programme was also attended by Jagatsinghpur Member of Parliament Bibhu Prasad Tarai, MLA Amarendra Das, Odisha Minister of State for Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Sampad Chandra Swain, and Cooperation Secretary Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, along with several other dignitaries.
With the commissioning of Sulphuric Acid Plant-3, the Paradeep unit of IFFCO will further strengthen India's fertiliser production ecosystem, ensuring better availability of fertilisers to farmers while contributing to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and reinforcing the strength of the cooperative sector in the country.