Fertiliser

Centre bans paraquat dichloride herbicide over human health concerns

The plant protection chemical has already been banned in more than 70 countries for various reasons, the most prevalent of which is its adverse impact on human and animal health

Weak monsoon may lift soluble fertiliser demand, price remains a risk: SFAI

An uncertain monsoon could work in favour of India's soluble fertiliser makers this Kharif season, but a sharp rise in prices poses a bigger risk to demand, industry body SFAI said on Sunday. Prices of key inputs have surged 60-100 per cent over the past year due to China's export curbs and disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia, Soluble Fertilizer Association of India (SFAI) President Rajib Chakraborty said. "Current prices are almost 60 to 100 per cent up," Chakraborty told PTI, adding that monoammonium phosphate (MAP), which sold for around USD 1,000 per tonne over the last couple of years, is now trading at USD 1,500-1,600 per tonne. "An increase of USD 600 per tonne means it's a big thing," he noted. Asked about the biggest risk to the sector this season, Chakraborty said it was the possibility of a drop in consumption due to the price rise. "The moment it becomes very expensive, farmers stop using it," he said, adding that price control was not possible or within the ..

UP assures farm security with over 3.10 mn tonnes fertiliser stock

The state government said it has more than 3.10 million tonnes of fertiliser in stock and is coordinating with the Centre to ensure uninterrupted supplies during the ongoing kharif sowing season

State-owned fertiliser firm RCF plans to raise Rs 1,500 cr via FPO

State-owned fertiliser firm RCF on Tuesday said it plans to raise up to Rs 1,500 crore through follow-on public offer (FPO). In a regulatory filing, the company said the Board has approved the raising of funds by way of a "Further Public Offering through a fresh issue of equity shares by the company aggregating up to Rs 1,500 crore". The decision is subject to the receipt of the approval of the shareholders of the company, the Department of Fertilisers, and the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd is one of the leading fertiliser companies in the country. It has two operating units, one in Trombay, Mumbai, and the other in Thal, Raigad district. RCF manufactures urea, complex fertilisers, bio-fertilisers, micro-nutrients, 100 per cent water-soluble fertilisers, soil conditioners and a wide range of industrial chemicals.

15 fertiliser ships cross Hormuz: Why it matters for India’s farmers | US-Iran war

15 vessels bound for India, carrying fertilisers and key raw materials used in their production, have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since tensions between Iran and the US eased.

15 vessels carrying urea, DAP, sulphur crossed Hormuz after US-Iran truce

The official statement said that of the remaining five vessels, three are carrying urea and one is carrying ammonia. All are scheduled to leave for India in the next few days

Coercive fertilisers tagging hurting farmers, $1 bn specialty sector: IMMA

The forced bundling of specialty fertilisers such as biostimulants, water solubles and micronutrients with subsidised urea and DAP is illegal and is hurting both farmers and a specialty fertiliser industry that has grown to nearly USD 1 billion, the Indian Micro Fertilizer Manufacturers Association (IMMA) said. Dealers are coercively tagging unsubsidised specialty products with subsidised fertilisers at the point of sale, leaving farmers with no choice but to buy items they may not need, IMMA president Rahul Mirchandani said. "The practice was damaging the reputation of legitimate brands built through years of farmer outreach and demand generation," he said at the SOMS 2026 (Specialty Fertilizer Summit & B2B Expo 2026), being held from July 2-4. The practice amounts to an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act and a prohibited tie-in arrangement under the Competition Act, besides being punishable under Clause 31 of the Fertiliser Control Order, which allows for ...

2 new urea plants with 2.5 mn tn capacity to start production shortly: Govt

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

Fertiliser stocks adequate, subsidy outgo may be reassessed: Govt

The government on Thursday asserted that the fertilisers stocks in the country is comfortable to meet the demand for the ongoing kharif season and said the subsidy estimates for the current fiscal could be reassessed considering the softening of urea prices in the global markets. At an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Aparna S Sharma, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, said, "The stock position of fertilisers in the country is comfortable. India's fertilizer security remains as strong as ever." Asked whether the Rs 3.4 lakh crore fertiliser subsidy estimates for 2026-27 would be revised downward due to a fall in global prices, she said the preliminary subsidy estimate was based on the presumption that the trend remains the same. "But, as a result of the recent tender that has been done on behalf of the government by our one of our entities will definitely have cause to reassess the subsidy figures, and we will have

India boosts LNG buying to meet fertiliser, power demand amid supply woes

The buying will help meet requirements from fertilizer producers, which use gas as a feedstock and are ramping up output ahead of the planting season

India scales down kharif 2026 fertiliser requirement to 38.39 mn tonnes

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

West Asia crisis: ECLGS 5.0 draws ₹1.71 trn credit demand, says govt

Emergency credit applications have crossed Rs 1.71 lakh crore as the government moves to secure fertiliser supplies and safeguard food and energy security amid the West Asia crisis

Urea sales jump 10%, DAP 39% amid panic buying after West Asia war

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

Govt finalising new policy for coal gasification-based urea manufacturing

The government is in the process of finalising a new policy for coal gasification-based urea manufacturing and will be ready within a month, an official said, highlighting that the move will boost self-reliance and save foreign exchange, given the country's heavy dependence on imported natural gas, an official said. Speaking during a roadshow here to promote the government's coal gasification scheme, an official said, "We are in the process of making our new policy for coal gasification-based urea manufacturing and are reaching towards that and within one month we will be ready for that." "Since it is assured government business and we are highly dependent upon natural gases and as 25 per cent is imported from various countries that will be more beneficial for us in terms of self-reliance and foreign exchequer," he said. Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has been working on the new urea policy for sometime, which has now been triggered wit

Greater use of biofertilisers can reduce India's chemical fertiliser burden

Balanced nutrient use, biofertilisers, and improved soil health can help India cut fertiliser imports and make agriculture more sustainable without hurting crop production

German firm B+H Solutions eyes India expansion, plans €1 million investment

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

India's fertiliser sector reforms: Time for action on import dependence

West Asia tensions expose India's fertiliser vulnerabilities, reviving calls for subsidy reform, nutrient balance and a shift towards green ammonia

Centre restores 97% gas supplies to fertiliser units amid West Asia crisis

Not only that, through strategic global tendering outside the Strait of Hormuz, India has successfully secured supplies of around 2.5 million tonnes of urea to meet peak kharif demand

Fertiliser subsidy bill for FY27 may rise by ₹70,000 cr on West Asia crisis

If the actual subsidy numbers come close to the current estimates, this would mean that India's FY27 fertiliser subsidy could be among the highest in recent years

Best of BS Opinion: Time to treat gold as a structural factor in economy

Today's BS Opinion wrap looks at gold imports and forex pressures, judicial infrastructure gaps, financing the Viksit Bharat dream, coal gasification, and Japan's wartime history