Government lifts curbs on industrial urea imports

NEW DELHI: The commerce ministry today notified the decision to do away with restrictions on imports of industrial and technical grade urea, a move aimed at improving ease of doing business and checking diversion of urea.

Earlier, the imports were permitted through state trading enterprises -- Indian Potash Ltd, MMTC and STC.

"Industrial Urea/Technical Grade Urea is being made freely importable with Actual User condition," Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

India's urea imports went up 23 per cent to 87.49 lakh tonnes last fiscal on higher demand.

The country, which is among the world's top three consumers of urea, had imported 70.88 MT of the fertiliser in 2013-14.

India produces about 22 million tonnes (MT) of urea as against the annual domestic demand of 30 MT.