The government confirmed to Parliament that there are enough fertiliser stocks to meet farmers’ needs for the current Rabi 2025–26 season and beyond. As of March 23, the country had significant reserves including 53.08 lakh metric tonnes of urea, 21.80 LMT of DAP, 7.98 LMT of MOP, and 48.38 LMT of NPKS. This stockpile guarantees a steady supply for agricultural requirements.
India relies on imports for urea and phosphatic fertilisers to cater to the agricultural sector’s demands. To ensure a stable supply due to this reliance, the Department of Fertilisers facilitated long-term agreements between Indian companies KRIBHCO, IPL & CIL and Saudi Arabia’s M/s Maaden. These agreements secure the supply of 31 lakh metric tonnes of DAP and NPK annually to India from 2025-26 to 2029-30.
In terms of urea production, the government introduced the New Investment Policy (NIP) in 2012 to boost self-sufficiency in the sector. Under this policy, six new urea units have been established, increasing urea production in India significantly. Notably, the production of urea surged from 225 LMT per annum in 2014-15 to a record 314.07 LMT in 2023-24.
The minister highlighted specific urea units set up through Joint Venture Companies (JVC) and by private companies. These include units like Ramagundam urea unit of Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd (RFCL) in Telangana, and the Panagarh urea unit of Matix Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd. (Matix) in West Bengal. These units, each with an installed capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes per annum, are known for their high energy efficiency and modern technology.
