The government has floated a second global tender for the import of 17 lakh tonnes of urea despite a sharp rise in international prices, in a bid to strengthen domestic availability ahead of the upcoming kharif season, a senior Fertiliser Ministry official said on Monday.
According to Aparna S Sharma, Additional Secretary in the Fertiliser Ministry, global urea prices have surged significantly from USD 447 per tonne in February to around USD 947 per tonne at present. She made the remarks during an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia and their impact on fertiliser supply chains.
Sharma said India has already secured 25 lakh tonnes of urea and 50 lakh tonnes of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) from sources located outside the Strait of Hormuz, with shipments expected to arrive between June and July.
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“We have also issued a global tender for 17 lakh tonnes of urea, which is currently under process. This is the second tender for the kharif season, and the final price will be discovered through the bidding process,” she said. She added that domestic fertiliser production currently stands at 104.81 lakh tonnes, while imports account for 27.62 lakh tonnes, taking total availability to approximately 132.43 lakh tonnes so far. Amid concerns linked to the El Niño weather pattern, the agriculture ministry has revised fertiliser demand projections downward in consultation with state governments.
For the kharif 2026–27 season, urea demand has been estimated at 194 lakh tonnes, which is lower by about 4 lakh tonnes compared to earlier projections. Similarly, demand for di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) has been reduced by 6 lakh tonnes to 60 lakh tonnes, Sharma said.
Kharif sowing has only just begun in parts of the country, with agricultural activity still at an early stage. Farmers in several regions, particularly those receiving pre-monsoon rainfall, have started land preparation and early sowing of short-duration crops such as pulses, coarse cereals, and cotton.
Officials said the procurement measures are aimed at ensuring uninterrupted fertiliser supply during the crucial sowing period while managing global supply uncertainties and price volatility.
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