Urea

Four fertiliser ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz after the US-Iran peace deal, easing concerns over supplies for India's agriculture sector

Market watchers say the reason for the drop in prices was China's big re-entry into world fertiliser markets

The government on Sunday highlighted that two new urea plants will soon start production with a total annual capacity of 25.4 lakh tonnes, a development that would help the country reduce its import dependence. India imported more than 100 lakh tonnes of urea during the 2025-26 fiscal year. In an official statement, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers highlighted the achievements of the last 12 years of the Modi government in this sector, as part of the overall objective to make India self-reliance and protect farmers from global disruptions. "Despite severe geopolitical conflicts in West Asia causing skyrocketing prices, acute shortages of natural gas, and heavily delayed shipping lines, the Government has mounted a proactive, war-footing response to ensure seamless fertilizer sufficiency," the Ministry said. Listing out the achievements, the ministry said that six new mega urea plants have been established since 2014, adding an annual capacity of 76.2 lakh tonnes. "Two mor

The recent import tender opened few days back though shows that there could come relief finally round the corner but how much will that be remains to be seen. In 2024-25

A sharp decline in global urea prices in the latest NFL import tender could prompt the government to reassess fertiliser subsidy estimates for FY27, officials said

Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon has written to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers J P Nadda, urging him to ensure an uninterrupted and timely supply of DAP and urea fertilizers during the ongoing paddy sowing season in the state. In his letter, Dhillon mentioned that the issue was discussed in detail during his meeting with the Union minister on June 6. With the paddy sowing season now fully underway across Punjab, he requested that the supply of these crucial fertilizers be further enhanced to meet rising demand. Dhillon stated that the central government is already aware of the seriousness of the issue and has been supplying fertilizers as required. However, he drew the Union minister's attention to the fact that fertilizer demand in Punjab reaches its peak during June and July. Any shortage during this critical period forces farmers to stand in long queues outside cooperative societies and fertilizer outlets. Such delays can disrupt sowing operations, adverse

The price fall could come as relief to farmers and government on subsidy

Today's Opinion page examines fertiliser subsidy reform, urban governance failures, market regulation, industrial financing and antibiotic resistance through the lens of institutional accountability

The move is projected to save the exchequer more than ₹10,500 crore annually in subsidies, based on conservative estimates and assuming an average imported urea price of $345 per tonne

India currently has around 19.98 million tonnes of fertilisers in stock, which means it has almost 52 per cent of the total reassessed requirement in stock as of today

Consumers bought around 5.05 million tonnes of urea between March 1 and May 25, 2026, as against 4.60 million tonnes during the same period last year

The organised plywood sector has urged the Centre to curb diversion of subsidised agricultural urea into industrial use amid rising fertiliser subsidy costs and supply pressures

Total domestic fertiliser production (that includes DAP, NPKS and others) stood at 6.23 million tonnes during March-April, while imports were at 1.53 million tonnes

Rising import costs are likely to increase India's fertiliser subsidies to companies for selling crop nutrients to farmers below market prices

Urea from the West Asia, a major supplier to the South Asian nation, was quoted at $490 a ton before the war began, according to Green Markets data

India's fertiliser output contracts in FY26, hit by LNG shortages and shutdowns, marking the sector's weakest performance in over a decade

IPL tender receives urea import offers totalling 5.6 million tonnes

India's fertiliser subsidy breached FY26 estimates before the West Asia crisis, with rising imports and consumption set to push the bill higher

Indian Potash Limited has also started scouting for imports of 2.5 million tonnes of urea from global markets

India, where farming is a mainstay, imports fertilisers such as urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash, as well as liquefied natural gas, a key feedstock for urea production