The Centre on Saturday said 15 vessels carrying fertilizers and fertilizer raw materials for India have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are reaching Indian ports as scheduled, a move expected to significantly augment the country’s fertilizer stocks despite disruptions to maritime traffic during the recent conflict in West Asia.
According to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the government ensured uninterrupted availability of fertilizers through timely planning, effective coordination and continuous monitoring. It also secured fertilizer supplies from several new countries through diplomatic and strategic efforts, with 28 Indian Missions abroad facilitating contacts with producers and suppliers and supporting the Department of Fertilizers in ensuring timely availability.
The ministry said urea supplies have been arranged from Oman, Malaysia, Vietnam, Georgia, Nigeria, Russia, Finland, Egypt, Algeria, Türkiye and the Netherlands. Supplies of DAP and NPK fertilizers have been secured through the Red Sea maritime route from Russia, Morocco, Egypt, the United States, Jordan, South Korea, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, J.P. Nadda, said: “The conflict that began in West Asia severely disrupted global supply chains. Fertilizer prices soared and shipment transit times increased considerably. India was also affected by this global crisis, resulting in challenges in ensuring uninterrupted supplies of fertilizer raw materials and finished fertilizers. However, under the able leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India remained vigilant and fully prepared from the very beginning.”
He added: “Efforts to import fertilizers through alternative routes were intensified. Indian Missions abroad actively assisted the Department of Fertilizers in establishing contact with potential global producers and suppliers. As a result, both our fertilizer imports and domestic production are in a very strong position today. The Government is ensuring that volatility in international markets does not affect our farmers. Fertilizers are being made available to them in a timely, equitable and affordable manner. Despite extremely challenging global circumstances, our government has ensured that the interests of our farmers remain fully protected.”
Among the 15 vessels, eight are carrying 3.32 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of urea, four are carrying 2.57 LMT of DAP and three are carrying 1.11 LMT of sulphur. The ministry said five more vessels are also scheduled to arrive in India, including one carrying 0.25 LMT of ammonia and another carrying 0.45 LMT of urea. Two more vessels are currently being loaded with urea, while another is being loaded with sulphur.
The ministry said natural gas supply to fertilizer plants, which had temporarily fallen to nearly 65 per cent, has now been fully restored to 100 per cent, enabling all urea plants to operate at full capacity. Urea production stood at 20.98 LMT in April against a target of 20.34 LMT, 25.19 LMT in May against a target of 22.55 LMT and 25.37 LMT in June against a target of 24.96 LMT. Overall, India produced 71.55 LMT of urea during April-June, exceeding the target of 67.86 LMT by 3.69 LMT.
DAP production reached 3.03 LMT in April against a target of 2.68 LMT, 3.93 LMT in May against 3.01 LMT and 2.88 LMT in June against a target of 2.92 LMT. Total DAP production during the first quarter stood at 9.84 LMT, surpassing the target of 8.61 LMT by 1.23 LMT. During the same period, domestic production of NPK fertilizers reached 20.77 LMT, while SSP production stood at 13.50 LMT.
According to the ministry, fertilizer stocks available across the country as of July 2 stood at 163.35 LMT, comprising 69.08 LMT of urea, 16.64 LMT of DAP, 8.90 LMT of MOP, 45.64 LMT of NPK and 23.09 LMT of SSP. Against the annual fertilizer requirement of 383.9 LMT assessed by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, fertilizer stocks of 197.56 LMT have already been secured, equivalent to more than 51 per cent of the country’s annual requirement, ensuring uninterrupted availability during the upcoming agricultural seasons.
