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Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday assured that enough fertilizer stocks were available in the country, and also stated that the government had made preparations to handle the possible El Nino impact. Urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) would continue to be available at subsidised rates despite concerns over supplies amid the West Asia crisis, he said. India has adequate fertiliser stocks for the ongoing kharif season and the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure sufficient availability for the rabi crop cycle as well, he said. "Our government has decided that farmers will continue to get urea and DAP at affordable rates. The government is bearing the burden of increased prices," Chouhan told reporters after the conclusion of the five-day BRICS agriculture meeting in Indore. "This will put an additional burden of thousands of crores of rupees on the exchequer, but we are prepared to bear it in the interest of farmers," he added. "Our govern
When Senegalese farmer Abou Sow first watched US missiles strike Iran on social media, he had a sinking feeling it would soon affect agriculture in the West African nation. Since the war began on February 28, fertilizer prices have risen by 40%. Sow was better prepared than most. Eight years ago, he gave up chemical fertilizers for organic compost and other natural sources. He now rallies farmers in Senegal to buy manure from local herders and gives advice on how to make a rich compost, picking out wriggling worms a healthy sign. "We can't afford to wait for a ceasefire," Sow said. "It's risky to depend on chemical fertilizers." Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz has affected the supply of natural gas, essential for making chemical fertilizer, as well as global shipping. The Gulf region produces 30% of globally traded chemical fertilizer, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute, and global prices have increased by 50%, according to the World Bank's fertilizer
German agricultural technology company B+H Solutions GmbH is eyeing the Indian market to expand its presence, with plans to invest 1 million euros in 2026, banking on rising demand for its metal-based nano-fertilisers and a recent regulatory breakthrough to accelerate growth in the country. The company, which markets its products through its Indian subsidiary Dr Heinisch Agro Solutions India Private Limited -- incorporated in 2022 -- reported global sales of 20 million euros for 2025. "Given the FCO (Fertiliser Control Order) nano registration, we are very enthusiastic for this year and plan on investment of 1 million euros in India in 2026," Dr Laura Wieler, General Manager and Chief Scientific Officer at B+H Solutions GmbH, told PTI in an interview. Unlike conventional nitrogen-based fertilisers such as nano urea, the company's products are metal-based nanotechnology solutions -- primarily silver and copper nanoparticles -- that function as what Wieler calls "fertiliser plus." Th
The government's fertiliser subsidy bill for 2026-27 may surge by Rs 70,000 crore to Rs 2.41 lakh crore, driven by rising import costs of urea and other fertilisers amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, a senior official said on Monday. Aparna S Sharma, Additional Secretary, Department of Fertilisers, on the sidelines of inter-ministerial briefing on West Asia developments, said, "The subsidy bill will go up, but what percentage is something I cannot say." On whether the increase could be as much as Rs 70,000 crore, she said, "may be." The budgetary allocation for fertiliser subsidies in 2026-27 stands at Rs 1.71 lakh crore. Despite the cost pressures, Sharma said fertiliser availability for the 2026 kharif season remains "comfortable", with stocks exceeding 51 per cent of the total requirement of 390 lakh tonne, the gap being bridged through diversified import sourcing. Current fertiliser stocks stand at 200.9 lakh tonne, she said. Domestic production is running at approximately 80
The Indian Biogas Association (IBA) has called for 10 per cent mandatory blending of fermented organic manure with chemical fertilisers by 2030 saying it can save USD 2 billion in imports annually. The IBA recently presented a white paper: FOM Feeds Soil, Soil Feeds Sustainability. The white paper was released by Union New & Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi during BBB Summit 2026 held from May 7 to 9, an IBA statement said. The white paper proposes a phased mandate to achieve 10 per cent blending of Fermented Organic Manure (FOM) with chemical fertilizers by 2030, positioning it as a critical intervention to restore India's declining soil health and accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture. It outlined a comprehensive policy framework, the recommendation calls for integrating FOM into existing flagship government schemes such as the Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) framework, Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). The ..