<p>New Delhi: The Centre’s fertiliser subsidy bill for 2026-27 is likely to surge by around Rs 70,000 crore to Rs 2.41 lakh crore, driven by rising global prices and higher import costs of urea and other fertilisers amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.</p><p> The budgetary allocation for the year stands at Rs 1.71 lakh crore.</p>.Fertiliser crisis | India must rethink its agrifood support policy.<p>"The subsidy bill will go up, but what percentage is something I cannot say,” Aparna S Sharma, Additional Secretary in the Department of Fertilisers, told reporters here. </p><p>When asked if the increase could be as much as Rs 70,000 crore, she replied, “may be."</p><p>”Despite the cost pressures, Sharma assured that fertiliser availability for the upcoming 2026 kharif season remains comfortable. </p><p>Current stocks stand at 200.9 lakh tonne, which is more than 51 per cent of the total requirement of 390 lakh tonne for the season. The remaining gap is being met through diversified import sourcing.</p><p>Domestic production is currently running at approximately 80,000 tonne per day. Since the onset of the West Asia crisis, output has been 86.2 lakh tonne, marginally lower than the 93 lakh tonne recorded in the corresponding period last year.</p><p>“There is a small shortfall which we hope to cover in the coming months,” Sharma noted. </p><p>She added that sufficient gas supply is available for urea plants.India has been actively diversifying its import routes to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. </p><p>Over 22 lakh tonne of fertilisers have already landed on Indian shores through alternative routes.Through a consortium-based procurement strategy, the government has secured about 13.5 lakh tonne of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 7 lakh tonne of NPK complexes, along with ammonium sulphate, phosphate, and other raw materials.</p><p>The Department of Fertilisers is also reviewing the availability of other inputs required for urea and complex fertiliser manufacturing. </p><p>Subsidy payments are being cleared on a weekly basis through the Integrated Fertilizer Management System.“Overall, the situation remains strong, stable and comfortable,” Sharma said.</p>
<p>New Delhi: The Centre’s fertiliser subsidy bill for 2026-27 is likely to surge by around Rs 70,000 crore to Rs 2.41 lakh crore, driven by rising global prices and higher import costs of urea and other fertilisers amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.</p><p> The budgetary allocation for the year stands at Rs 1.71 lakh crore.</p>.Fertiliser crisis | India must rethink its agrifood support policy.<p>"The subsidy bill will go up, but what percentage is something I cannot say,” Aparna S Sharma, Additional Secretary in the Department of Fertilisers, told reporters here. </p><p>When asked if the increase could be as much as Rs 70,000 crore, she replied, “may be."</p><p>”Despite the cost pressures, Sharma assured that fertiliser availability for the upcoming 2026 kharif season remains comfortable. </p><p>Current stocks stand at 200.9 lakh tonne, which is more than 51 per cent of the total requirement of 390 lakh tonne for the season. The remaining gap is being met through diversified import sourcing.</p><p>Domestic production is currently running at approximately 80,000 tonne per day. Since the onset of the West Asia crisis, output has been 86.2 lakh tonne, marginally lower than the 93 lakh tonne recorded in the corresponding period last year.</p><p>“There is a small shortfall which we hope to cover in the coming months,” Sharma noted. </p><p>She added that sufficient gas supply is available for urea plants.India has been actively diversifying its import routes to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. </p><p>Over 22 lakh tonne of fertilisers have already landed on Indian shores through alternative routes.Through a consortium-based procurement strategy, the government has secured about 13.5 lakh tonne of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 7 lakh tonne of NPK complexes, along with ammonium sulphate, phosphate, and other raw materials.</p><p>The Department of Fertilisers is also reviewing the availability of other inputs required for urea and complex fertiliser manufacturing. </p><p>Subsidy payments are being cleared on a weekly basis through the Integrated Fertilizer Management System.“Overall, the situation remains strong, stable and comfortable,” Sharma said.</p>
