The government today said subsidised fertiliser was being smuggled out to countries like Nepal and asked state governments to take stringent action.

Replying to supplementaries during question hour in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Srikant Kumar Jena said smuggling was taking place from different parts of the country.

The centre, he said, has written to chief ministers to take stringent action against urea dealers who may be involved in smuggling.

States like Uttar Pradesh needed to take steps to prevent smuggling, he said.

Explaining compulsions behind the recent decision to hike urea prices, Jena said the cost had not changed in the past eight years compared to two price revisions during NDA rule.

NDA government raised urea prices by 20 percent when global rates were $ 110 per ton.