Fertiliser imports rise as local production falls this fiscal year

New Delhi: India imported 85% more urea, 46% more DAP and 122% more NPK fertilisers in the first nine months of this fiscal year compared with a year earlier, according to provisional data released Wednesday by the Fertiliser Association of India.

Urea sales rose 3.8% year-on-year to 31.16 million tonnes during the April-December period, even as domestic production declined 3.2% to 22.44 million tonnes. Higher imports helped meet demand during peak crop nutrition months of the fertiliser year.

Sales of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) moderated to 8 million tonnes from 8.33 million tonnes a year earlier, reflecting softer offtake. However, imports increased 45.7% to 5.95 million tonnes, cushioning the impact of a 3.9% drop in domestic production and ensuring continued availability of phosphatic nutrients. Complex fertilisers showed a contrasting trend. Production of NP and NPK fertilisers (excluding DAP) increased 13.1% to 9.27 million tonnes, while imports more than doubled to 3.29 million tonnes. Sales remained broadly stable at 11.74 million tonnes, indicating a deliberate push to strengthen availability and support balanced nutrient use rather than chase short-term demand.