NPK 20:20:0:13 (with sulphur)
Equal nitrogen and phosphorus, plus the sulphur oilseeds and pulses quietly depend on — a single-bag basal for sulphur-hungry crops.
- Composition
- 20% N, 20% P₂O₅, 13% S
- Form
- Granular complex
- Subsidised price
- ~₹1,400 per 50 kg bag (2024–25)
- Best for
- Oilseeds, pulses, cotton (basal)
Overview
NPK 20:20:0:13 carries 20% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, no potassium and 13% sulphur. The balanced N-and-P suits crops that need a solid start without much potash, and the built-in sulphur is what sets it apart: oilseeds and pulses need sulphur to build oil and protein, and much of India’s soil is short of it.
It is a basal fertiliser, applied at sowing, and it is popular in soybean, groundnut, cotton and pulse belts precisely because it covers sulphur in the same bag as N and P. Where a crop also needs potassium, pair it with MOP; and as always, match the grade to what your soil test actually shows.
What it is and when to reach for it
- A nitrogen-phosphorus-sulphur complex — reach for it as a basal on oilseeds, pulses and cotton, where sulphur is as important as N and P.
- It carries no potassium, so add MOP where the crop or soil test calls for potash.
- Its sulphur makes it a strong single-bag choice over plain DAP on sulphur-deficient soils.
How to apply it well
- Apply the full dose at sowing as basal, placed near the seed like any phosphorus fertiliser.
- On oilseeds it covers the sulphur requirement at sowing without a separate sulphur product.
- Top-dress the rest of the crop’s nitrogen as urea at its peak-demand stages.
Common mistakes
- Using it as a top dressing — the phosphorus will not reach the roots when applied late.
- Forgetting potassium on a potash-needing crop because this grade carries none.
- Paying for the sulphur grade on a soil that is not sulphur-short, where plain DAP is cheaper.
Organic alternative
FYM + rock phosphate + gypsum
In organic systems, compost or FYM with rock phosphate for phosphorus and gypsum for sulphur covers the same basal need.
Crops it is used on
Open a crop for its full nutrient schedule.
Common questions
What does the 13 in 20:20:0:13 mean?
It is the sulphur content — 13% sulphur — added after the N-P-K figures. So the grade is 20% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, 0% potassium and 13% sulphur. The sulphur is the reason this complex is favoured for oilseeds and pulses.
Is 20:20:0:13 better than DAP for soybean?
Often yes, because soybean and other oilseeds need sulphur, which DAP does not supply. 20:20:0:13 gives balanced N and P plus 13% sulphur in one basal bag. On a soil that already has enough sulphur, plain DAP with a matched urea dose may be cheaper.
Does 20:20:0:13 have potassium?
No — the 0 in the grade means it carries no potassium. On crops or soils that need potash, apply MOP alongside it. It is chosen for its nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur, not for potassium.
Composition and doses follow ICAR / Soil Health Card guidance; prices are the notified subsidised rates for the season shown and are guidance, not a quote. A soil test for your field always beats a general rate. See our editorial policy.