What is "Urea Gold"?

July 28, 2023

Prime Minister recently launched "Urea Gold", a new variety of Urea, during an event in Rajasthan's Sikar.

About Urea Gold:

  • It is a new variety of Urea coated with Sulphur.
  • It is being introduced to address the Sulphur deficiency in soil and save input costs for the farmers.
  • Urea Gold surpasses the existing Neem-coated urea in terms of both economic viability and efficiency.
  • How Urea Gold Is Better Than Others?
    • Sulphur-coated urea facilitates a gradual release of nitrogen, thereby enhancing its availability and uptake by crops.
    • The inclusion of humic acid in Urea Gold further extends its lifespan as a fertilizer. 
    • This product not only substitutes traditional urea consumption but also reduces overall fertilizer usage.
    • According to the report, 15 kg of Urea Gold provides comparable benefits to 20 kg of conventional urea, making it a more efficient and effective choice for farmers.

What is Neem-coated urea?

  • Urea is a commonly used nitrogen-based fertilizer that provides essential nutrients to plants to promote healthy growth.
  • Neem-coated urea is a specialized form of urea fertilizer that has been coated with neem oil.
  • Benefits:
    • The neem coating on urea slows down the release of nitrogen into the soil. This controlled release helps reduce nitrogen leaching and volatilization, leading to improved nitrogen use efficiency by plants.
    • It would bring down the quantity of urea per acre and consequent reduction in input cost to farmers.
    • The emission of nitrous oxide is also brought down significantly.
    • Neem oil, derived from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), has natural pesticidal properties.