New Delhi, July 23 -- The Centre is looking at ways to step up the production of specialty fertilizers for high value fruit, vegetables and flowers, amid a supply disruption from China, a senior government official told Mint.

Preliminary discussions have already been held between the government and leading state-owned, cooperative and private sector fertilizer producers, the official said.

Specialty fertilizers include polymer-coated urea that is released slowly into the soil and is available to plants over a long period, chelated micronutrients that are effective in alkaline soil, water-soluble fertilizers such as monoammonium phosphate and potassium nitrate, and stabilized nitrogen fertilizers with urease inhibitors (NBPT) which allow...