Government Assures Adequate Fertilizer Availability for Kharif Season, Despite Global Supply Chain Disturbances
Government Assures Adequate Fertilizer Availability for Kharif Season, Despite Global Supply Chain Disturbances
Addressing market speculation triggered by geopolitical disruptions in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz, the Department of Fertilizers today firmly assured the farming community that India’s fertilizer inventory remains robust, secure, and fully equipped to handle the upcoming Kharif season.
The numbers tell a clear story of preparedness. Benefiting from a lean consumption phase and an aggressive advance stocking strategy, the government has built a formidable buffer of all grades of fertilizers.
Reaffirming its commitment to the farming community, the Department of Fertilizers reports a massive 36.5% year-on-year surge in overall fertilizer reserves, rising from 129.85 LMT on March 6, 2025, to a commanding 177.31 LMT today. This formidable buffer is driven by unprecedented increase in critical soil nutrients, most notably DAP stocks (now at 25.13 LMT) and rise in NPKs reserves (reaching 55.87 LMT). Furthermore, the availability of Urea—the country’s most widely consumed fertilizer—has also grown to reach 59.30 LMT. This robust, data-backed inventory conclusively demonstrates that the nation is exceptionally well-stocked and fully insulated against any global supply chain shock, as we approach the peak Kharif sowing season.
These fertilizer reserves, which are significantly higher than last year, provide a vital operational cushion, ensuring that international logistics bottlenecks do not translate into domestic farm-gate shortages.
Unprecedented Imports
To ensure continuity of supplies of all grades of subsidised fertilizers, the Department has already tied up critical incoming shipments. Government has so far imported 98 Lakh Metric Tonnes of finished fertilizers up to February 2026 and further imports of more than 17 Lakh Metric Tonnes are already lined up for the next three months. This is a testimony to the government’s proactive approach in securing the farming community’s interests amidst global turmoil.
Furthermore, to insulate the country from regional pricing and supply volatility,
Indian companies have secured long-term supply agreements with major international producers for P&K fertilizers.
Tactical Agility: High-Level Intervention
The government is actively maneuvering to optimize resources amid the LNG supply strain. In a high-level review meeting held in the department, the government assured fertilizer companies that gas supply to their sector remains a top national priority. The department stated that farmers are the priority of the government, and their interests will not be compromised under any circumstances. Farmers are encouraged to proceed with their Kharif preparations without any panic.
Demonstrating tactical agility, the Department observed that the current lean period is traditionally when fertilizer companies schedule plant shutdowns for repair and maintenance. These companies have now come forward to prepone their maintenance scheduled to March to utilize the disruptive time to their advantage. Multiple global sources are also being tapped for additional imports of finished fertilizers. The Department of Fertilizers, in close coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, continues to monitor situation in real time, to ensure early discharge of imports, and it stands ready to execute quick responses, as global energy markets evolve.
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