The offtake of urea fertilizer was 704,000 tonnes, registering an increase of 12.5 per cent in December 2011 as compared to the same period of last year.

The sale of DAP stood at 114,000 tonnes during December 2011 which showed an increase of 25.8 per cent over December 2010.

The demand of Nitrogen and Phosphate was also increased by 13.1 per cent and 14.0 per cent respectively and while the Potash offtake witnessed downward trend in December 2011 over December 2010.

Total Fertilizer nutrient sale during Rabi 2011-2012 October-December) was about 1,188000 tonnes registering a decrease of 18.7 per cent when compared with same time frame of last Rabi.

Of total fertilizer consumption, the Urea decreased by 13.2 per cent while DAP by 27.2 per cent during period mentioned.

Talking to APP, an official in National Fertilizer Development Corporation (NFDC) said that the offtake of Urea and Offtake increased due to the rise of demand in flood hit area after receding water of flood.

He said that the prices of the commodities were deceased in December 2011 against the prices of commodities with the mid of Rabi season.

But the price hike of fertilizer caused overall decline in the sale of the products of the fertilizer in Rabi Season of 2011-2012.

He said that the price of urea was increased from Rs.1000 per bag of 50 kilogram to Rs.1700 per bag during the Rabi season.

"The bag of DAP was available on the price of Rs.2500 in the last season of the Rabi but it was increased to Rs.4200 per bag in Rabi 2011-2012", he added.