Fertiliser supplies adequate for Kharif as govt pursues diversification: Minister
New Delhi, July 24
Comprehensive measures have been taken to safeguard the country's fertilizer supply chain and ensure uninterrupted availability of fertilizers through supply diversification, collective procurement and a robust monitoring mechanism, the government said on Friday, detailing measures to counter disruptions arising from the geopolitical conflict in West Asia.
Despite West Asian conflict, fertilizer availability in the country remained largely adequate through diversified sourcing and timely government interventions, Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said in Lok Sabha.
The measures include facilitating long‑term commercial arrangements between Indian fertiliser companies and overseas suppliers, engaging Indian missions to identify alternative sources, and promoting collective procurement of raw materials such as ammonia and sulphur by industry consortia to improve price discovery and bargaining power.
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) coordinates with state governments, and assesses state-wise and month-wise fertilizer requirements.
Based on these projections, the Department of Fertilizers issues monthly supply plans, continuously monitors fertilizer movement through the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS), and conducts regular weekly video conferences to review availability and undertake corrective measures wherever required.
Due to West Asian conflict India's imports of ammonia, phosphoric acid and sulphur were particularly impacted, while potash imports witnessed higher landed costs due to global logistics disruptions, the statement from Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said.
Government data showed that availability comfortably exceeded requirements for Urea, DAP, MOP and NPKS during the Kharif 2026 window from April 1, 2026 to July 19, 2026.
For that period, Urea requirement of 109.40 lakh metric tonnes was far exceeded by availability at 163.78. DAP requirement of 31.57 lakh metric tonnes was comfortably met by availability 39.54 LMT.
To mitigate temporary shortage and price increase of inputs such as Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA), Ammonia and Methanol, the government facilitated allocation of propylene to improve their availability in coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
It facilitated supply of surplus ammonia to pharmaceutical industries and secured improved methanol supply through existing traders and augmenting supply alternatives in coordination with domestic manufacturers.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The numbers look impressive – 163 LMT urea vs 109 LMT requirement. But these are just projections. Ground reality in my village is different; sometimes the supply doesn't reach the last mile in time. Hope the iFMS system actually works on the ground. Still, good initiative on diversification from West Asian sources. 👍
As someone working in agri-inputs, I can say the government's collective procurement for ammonia and sulphur is a smart move. We were paying through the nose for spot purchases. But why didn't we think of this earlier? Better late than never. The war in West Asia showed how vulnerable our imports are. Time to push for domestic rock phosphate mining too.
I'm glad they're also coordinating with pharma industries for ammonia and methanol supply. Inter-ministerial coordination is usually a joke in India, so this is a pleasant surprise. But I wish they'd focus on reducing our import dependency overall – organic farming and bio-fertilisers need more push. Diversification is just a band-aid for a deep wound. 🌱
Achha hai ki sarkar ne yeh sab kuch kiya hai, lekin farmer ko DAP aur MOP ka price kam chahiye. Data dikhata hai ki availability zyada hai, par bumper stock hona aur affordable price do alag cheezein hain. Humare area mein dealers ne rates nahi ghataaye. Umeed hai ki aagey control hoga. Jai Kisan! 🙏🚜
The minister's claim sounds reassuring
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