Kharif fertiliser supply remains strong amid ongoing West Asia crisis, stocks reach 193 lakh tonnes

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday said that fertiliser availability across the country continues to be strong and sufficient, even as the ongoing conflict in West Asia disrupts global shipping lines and constrains supply of key inputs.

Current stocks are well-positioned to meet the upcoming Kharif season requirements. Against a total projected requirement of 390.45 lakh tonnes for Kharif 2026, the government has already stocked 193.38 lakh tonnes — nearly 50 per cent of the total demand, Aparna S. Sharma, Additional Secretary to Department of Fertilisers told media here.

Urea stocks stand at 73.81 lakh tonnes, while Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) availability is at 23.47 lakh tonnes. Other fertilisers are also reported to be well-stocked.

"This reflects improved planning, advanced stocking, and efficient logistics managed by the government. The supply position continues to be strong in the states," Sharma said.

Notably, there has been no increase in the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of fertilisers, despite significant global price hikes in most inputs.

Domestic urea production during March-April 2026 reached 37.49 lakh tonnes, almost matching last year’s levels despite the West Asia crisis. This includes 16.49 lakh tonnes produced in March and 21 lakh tonnes in April.

To bridge the shortfall, the government has secured approximately 37 lakh tonnes of imported urea through a global tender.

Overall, domestic fertiliser production for the two-month period stood at 62.37 lakh tonnes, while imports totalled 15.39 lakh tonnes. Sharma highlighted that around 78 lakh tonnes of fertilisers have been added to the country’s availability even amid the crisis situation.

“Domestic production and import of fertilisers after the crisis have been strong as ever,” she added.

Production of other key fertilisers during March-April included - DAP : 4.79 lakh tonnes, NPK fertilisers: 12.69 lakh tonnes and Single Super Phosphate (SSP): 7.40 lakh tonnes.

The government has also floated a global tender for 19 lakh tonnes of phosphatic fertilisers, and the availability of raw materials is being monitored regularly at all levels.

Officials expressed confidence that these proactive measures including early stocking, sustained domestic output, and timely imports will ensure uninterrupted fertiliser supply to farmers during the crucial Kharif sowing season.