India's Fertiliser Supply: Adequate Amid Local Shortages, Industry Leaders Reveal

Industry players noted that while demand has risen due to a favourable monsoon and expanded acreage, both government measures and long-term supply arrangements have helped stabilise the situation.

At the Agri Business Summit 2025, RG Agarwal, Chairman Emeritus of Dhanuka Agritech and Chair of the Agribusiness Committee at PHDCCI, acknowledged that pressure persists in certain regions.

"Today, there's a shortage of DAP and urea. Shortages can occur in different areas. There isn't a major shortage either. But yes, there are shortages in some areas. The government is making every effort to address this," he told ANI on Monday.

He said overall supply remains manageable but emphasised that scientific principles, not emotion, must guide fertiliser use.

"Today, many people say that we're using too much fertiliser. Our soil is deteriorating. We're not working with scientific principles. Unless we adhere to science, the right work can't be done. There's a huge difference between science and sentiment," he added.

Responding to concerns about how India will meet domestic needs or address any shortages in the country following China's export restrictions, IFFCO Chairman Dileepbhai Sanghani urged farmers to shift to nano-fertilisers to reduce dependence on imported nutrients.

"Nano urea is beneficial for the farmers and the people of the country because it is available at a low price with a subsidy. We make it ourselves. It is Make in India. This does not damage the land used by farmers. There is no water pollution, and there are no adverse effects on our health," he said.

Sanghani appealed to farmers nationwide to adopt nano urea, noting that domestic nano-fertiliser production can fully meet national requirements.

Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Chairman and Coromandel International MD & CEO S Sankarasubramanian told ANI today that despite increased consumption driven by a strong monsoon, India's fertiliser supply remains steady.

"There has been support of overall consumption due to a good monsoon, which increased acreage, and the government has adequately prepared to handle this," he said.

He added that urea availability remains adequate, though localised gaps have surfaced. "The increase in demand for fertilisers and urea is also available in adequate quantities across the states, so we don't see any challenge. As an industry, we have always been responsible for reacting to the spurt in demand, and there has been a mismatch in certain pockets, but overall, there is no shortage of fertilisers in the country."

Sankarasubramanian said long-term import agreements with the Middle East, Africa and Russia have helped neutralise the impact of China's export restrictions.

He noted that India has added 7 million tonnes of domestic urea capacity in recent years by reviving old plants, and further additions will move the country toward self-sufficiency. The sector, he added, is advancing sustainability goals through green ammonia and nanofertilisers under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

- ANI