A farmer spreads fertilizer on a paddy field in Morigaon on Wednesday. | Photo credit: ANI
Amid concerns over the availability of fertilizers for the upcoming kharif season starting in April following trade disruption due to the war with Iran, the Union government has assured fertilizer companies that gas supply to their sector remains a top national priority. The fertilizer department said here on Friday that farmers are the government’s priority and their interests will not be compromised under any circumstances. “Farmers are encouraged to continue with kharif preparations without any panic,” the ministry said amid fears of a 40 to 60 percent drop in supplies of natural gas, a key ingredient for fertilizer production, since last week.
The ministry said the numbers speak to readiness. “Benefiting from a lean consumption phase and an aggressive forward stocking strategy, the government has built a formidable buffer of all types of fertilizers,” the ministry said, adding that there was a 36.5% year-on-year increase in total fertilizer stocks from 129.85 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) on March 6, 2025 to Friday, March 31, 2025 to “a bump in LMT. It is driven by an unprecedented by an increase in critical soil nutrients, especially ammonium phosphate stocks (now 25.13 LMT) and an increase in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) stocks (reaching 55.87 LMT),” the government added.
The availability of urea, the most widely used fertilizer in the country, is 59.30 LMT. “This robust, data-backed inventory strongly shows 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 stocks, which are significantly higher than last year, provide a vital operational cushion and ensure that international logistics bottlenecks do not translate into domestic farm shortages,” the report said.
According to the import scenario, the government has imported 98 LMT of finished fertilizers by February 2026 and another 17 LMT is already ready for the next three months. “This is a testament to the government’s proactive approach in safeguarding the interests of the farming community amid global turmoil. Apart from insulating the country from regional price and supply fluctuations, Indian companies have secured long-term supply contracts with major international P&K fertilizer manufacturers,” he added.
Regarding LNG supply tensions, the ministry said a high-level review meeting was held and the government assured fertilizer companies that gas supply to their sector remains a top national priority. The current lean period is traditionally when fertilizer companies plan plant shutdowns for repairs and maintenance, the report said, adding that fertilizer companies have now moved ahead with maintenance scheduled for March to use the disruptive time to their advantage. “Additional imports of finished fertilizers are also used from many global sources,” the government said.
Currently, about 30% of India’s natural gas imports are routed through the Strait of Hormuz, government officials said on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Further, according to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), since the beginning of the year in the current financial year, more than 85% of the natural gas used for fertilizer production has been imported. Cumulatively, fertilizer production accounted for 29% of the total natural gas consumption from imported and domestic sources combined, consumed during the period.
Concerns over LNG supplies stem primarily from the world’s largest LNG producer, QatarEnergy, which is calling for force majeure to intervene after its facilities were targeted by Tehran. New Delhi, however, insists it is not looking at any disruption in natural gas supplies. In fact, a source privy to the development reported on Friday that the state-run entity had also purchased a spot cargo of LNG in recent days.
Published – 06 March 2026 21:24 IST
