India has ample stocks of fertilisers: Govt
New Delhi, April 30
India's fertiliser security for farmers remains strong, stable, and well-managed, with availability consistently exceeding requirement across all major fertilisers, according to an official update issued on Thursday.
For Kharif 2026, the fertiliser requirement has been assessed by the Agriculture Ministry at 390.54 lakh metric tonnes (LMT). Against this, around 193.38 LMT is available as of Thursday, which works out to 50 per cent, significantly higher than the usual level of about 33 per cent stock that is usually maintained at this time of the year. This reflects improved planning, advance stocking, and efficient logistics management, the statement said.
The supply position continues to be strong in the states. For the period 1 from April 1 to 30, availability remains substantially higher than the requirement. Urea availability is 73.81 LMT against a requirement of 22.91 LMT, DAP availability is 23.47 LMT against 7.44 LMT requirement, MOP availability is 8.54 LMT against 2.18 LMT requirement, NPK availability is 54.04 LMT against 9.40 LMT requirement, and SSP availability is 26.20 LMT against 4.16 LMT requirement. This clearly indicates a strong opening position for the ongoing kharif season, the statement said.
There has also been no change in the retail price of major fertilisers despite the rise in cost in global markets, it noted.
A total of 78 LMT of fertilisers has been added to the availability after the crisis situation triggered by the West Asia conflict. In April this year, urea production almost achieved the domestic production of 20.8-21 LMT as compared to 21.89 LMT in April last year.
India has secured a total of 38.07 LMT of urea fertiliser through the global tender route since Feb-end to date.
Indian fertiliser companies have also issued aggregated global tenders for the procurement of 12 LMT DAP, 4 LMT TSP and 3 LMT ammonium sulphate on April 24, which will help to ensure adequate availability during the peak season.
Availability of inputs for the production of urea and P&K fertilisers is being regularly reviewed by the Department of Fertilisers. As many as six meetings of the empowered Group of Secretaries have been held till now to ensure the adequate availability of the fertilisers, and most of the challenges in the availability have been addressed, the statement added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some good news for agriculture sector 😊 But I wish they also focused on promoting organic farming and reducing dependency on chemical fertilisers. Still, for farmers who depend on these inputs, this is a relief. Let's hope the prices remain stable as claimed.
The numbers look impressive on paper - 50% stock vs usual 33%. But the real test will be during peak sowing season when demand spikes. I hope the logistics hold up in remote areas of UP and Bihar where farmers often struggle. Let's not celebrate too early.
As an agricultural economist, I appreciate the data transparency here. The urea production almost matching last year's levels despite global disruptions is commendable. However, I'm concerned about the long-term sustainability of subsidising fertilisers so heavily. We need more investment in soil health and efficient usage.
The government deserves credit for managing this well amidst the West Asia crisis. 78 LMT added since then is no small feat. But I want to know - are small and marginal farmers actually getting access at the right time? Often big farmers corner the supplies first. Need better monitoring at ground level.
Good initiative but why is the government still focusing so much on urea? Overuse of urea is damaging our soil. I wish they promoted balanced fertilisation and provided more support for potash and phosphatic fertilisers. Still, any step towards food security is positive.
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