Updated: 3 October 2026
NPK complex fertilisers carry two or three major nutrients in one granule. The numbers on the bag are the percentage of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O). A 50 kg bag of 10:26:26 holds 5 kg N, 13 kg P2O5 and 13 kg K2O. Prices are not fixed by the government: each company sets its own MRP, and the government pays the company a per-kg subsidy on the nutrients under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme.
IFFCO's price list effective 1 January 2025 shows 10:26:26 and 12:32:16 at ₹1,720 per bag, 20:20:0:13 at ₹1,300, 15:15:15 at ₹1,250 and 28:28:0 at ₹1,750. Check the MRP printed on the bag you are buying, since a later list or another company may differ.
Nutrients in a 50 kg bag
Multiply each percentage by 50. For 10:26:26: 50 x 0.10 = 5 kg N, 50 x 0.26 = 13 kg P2O5, 50 x 0.26 = 13 kg K2O. The last column divides the IFFCO MRP by the kg of N, P2O5 and K2O in the bag (sulphur not counted), so grades can be compared on what the nutrient costs.
| Grade | N kg | P2O5 kg | K2O kg | IFFCO MRP per bag | ₹ per kg of N+P2O5+K2O |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:26:26 | 5 | 13 | 13 | ₹1,720 | 55.5 (1,720 / 31) |
| 12:32:16 | 6 | 16 | 8 | ₹1,720 | 57.3 (1,720 / 30) |
| 20:20:0:13 (NPS, 6.5 kg S) | 10 | 10 | 0 | ₹1,300 | 65.0 (1,300 / 20) |
| 15:15:15 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | ₹1,250 | 55.6 (1,250 / 22.5) |
| 28:28:0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | ₹1,750 | 62.5 (1,750 / 28) |
| 19:19:19 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | not in IFFCO list | not available |
| 14:35:14 | 7 | 17.5 | 7 | not in IFFCO list | not available |
Source of prices: IFFCO price list "w.e.f. 1st January 2025 onwards", MRP inclusive of GST. It is the latest IFFCO list available; other companies' MRPs for these grades are not listed here.
Which crops each grade suits
No ICAR or state university crop table for these grades is cited here, so the notes below are the manufacturer's own:
- 10:26:26 and 12:32:16: IFFCO calls both DAP-based granular fertilisers that fix phosphorus and potassium in the soil and work well where nutrients leach. Both carry more phosphate and potash than nitrogen, so they suit a basal dose.
- 20:20:0:13: IFFCO says it is formulated for soils low in available phosphorus and sulphur and high in potassium, and that it raises protein in grains and oilseeds.
- 15:15:15, 19:19:19, 14:35:14, 28:28:0: these appear in the NBS table, but no crop recommendation for them is cited here.
Decide the grade from the soil test: a Soil Health Card shows which nutrients the field lacks, and the fertilizer calculator turns a crop recommendation into bags.
Subsidy per kg of nutrient (NBS)
The Department of Fertilizers pays companies a fixed amount per kg of N, P2O5, K2O and sulphur. The rates are set for each season.
| Nutrient | Kharif 2026 (1 Apr to 30 Sep 2026) | Rabi 2025-26 (1 Oct 2025 to 31 Mar 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | ₹47.32 per kg | ₹43.02 per kg |
| Phosphate (P2O5) | ₹52.76 per kg | ₹47.96 per kg |
| Potash (K2O) | ₹2.38 per kg | ₹2.38 per kg |
| Sulphur (S) | ₹3.16 per kg | ₹2.87 per kg |
Kharif 2026 rates were approved by the Union Cabinet (about ₹41,534 crore for the season, 28 P&K grades) and are reported by DT Next. The Rabi 2025-26 rates and the per-tonne grade table are in a PIB backgrounder of 5 January 2026. The Rabi 2026-27 rates are not yet confirmed, so the Kharif 2026 rates are the latest.
A grade's subsidy is its nutrients times these rates. For 10:26:26 in Kharif 2026: 0.10 x 47.32 + 0.26 x 52.76 + 0.26 x 2.38 = ₹19.07 per kg, about ₹953 per 50 kg bag. This is computed here, not a notified figure. PIB's notified Rabi 2025-26 per-tonne rates are below; a bag is one twentieth of a tonne.
| Grade | Subsidy per tonne, Rabi 2025-26 | Per 50 kg bag |
|---|---|---|
| NPK 10:26:26 | ₹17,390 | ₹869.50 |
| NPK 12:32:16 | ₹20,890 | ₹1,044.50 |
| NPS 20:20:0:13 | ₹18,569 | ₹928.45 |
| NPK 15:15:15 | ₹14,004 | ₹700.20 |
| NPK 19:19:19 | ₹17,738 | ₹886.90 |
| NPK 14:35:14 | ₹23,142 | ₹1,157.10 |
| NP 28:28:0 | ₹25,474 | ₹1,273.70 |
How to read the bag
- Read the grade (for example 12:32:16): N, P2O5, K2O, and a fourth number for sulphur where present.
- Read the MRP. PIB says every bag must show the MRP and the subsidy per bag and per kg. Charging above the printed MRP is an offence under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
- Multiply each percentage by 50 to get kg of each nutrient in the bag.
- Divide the MRP by the total kg of nutrient to compare grades, as in the table above.
The numbers are guaranteed minimums. NFL's 2023 import tender specification for 10:26:26 asks for at least 10% total nitrogen (7% ammoniacal), 26% available P2O5 (22.5% water soluble) and 26% water-soluble K2O.
How to apply
- IFFCO advises applying 10:26:26, 12:32:16 and 20:20:0:13 at sowing, not on a standing crop. Placement through a seed-cum-fertiliser drill is said to give better results than broadcasting.
- The dose depends on the crop and soil, following the state recommendation. Count the nitrogen in the bag before adding urea and phosphate before adding DAP, so nothing is applied twice.
- For the wider price list see fertilizer prices, and fertilizer availability for stock.
Sources
- IFFCO fertiliser price list, effective 1 January 2025 (company document)
- PIB backgrounder, Nutrient-Based Subsidy rates for Rabi 2025-26 (5 January 2026)
- PM India, Cabinet approval of NBS rates for Kharif 2026
- DT Next, Kharif 2026 per-kg subsidy rates (secondary source)
- IFFCO, NPK 10-26-26 product page
- IFFCO, NP(S) 20-20-0-13 product page
- NFL import tender specification for NPS and NPK grades, 18 January 2023