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Informist, Monday, Jun. 1, 2026

 

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--Govt: See low urea, DAP demand after El Nino, below normal rains forecast
--CONTEXT: Govt officials briefing media on West Asia war 
--Govt: States reported fall in urea, DAP demand after El Nino forecasts 
--Govt: Issued another global tender to procure urea 
--Govt: Wheat procurement crossed 35 mln tn, up 17% on yr 
--Govt: Major rise in edible oil price unlikely; output ample in source nations 
 

 

NEW DELHI – State agriculture departments have reduced their estimated demand for fertilisers in the upcoming kharif season amid concerns about below-normal southwest monsoon rainfall, the central government said on Monday. The expected demand for urea and diammonium phosphate for the kharif season is now reduced by 400,000 tonnes and 600,000 tonnes, respectively, Fertilisers Additional Secretary Aparna S. Sharma said. 

 

The India Meteorological Department has forecast southwest monsoon rainfall to be below normal, at 90% of the long-period average, mainly due to the development of El Nio during the monsoon season. 

 

"Due to the El Nio effect, the IMD forecasts say that the monsoon is expected to be lower. So, we requested the agriculture ministry for reassessments of fertiliser (demand) for the kharif season... We have been informed that, against the earlier communicated (demand) quantity of 194 LMT (19.4 million tonnes) of urea, it has now been reduced to 190 LMT (19 million tonnes) by the states. Likewise, for DAP, there is a reduction from 66 LMT (6.6 million tonnes) to about 60 LMT (6.0 million tonnes)," Sharma said at an inter-ministerial briefing on the impact of war in West Asia on the Indian economy.

 

Sharma said the country has higher-than-usual fertiliser stock availability at 51% to meet demand for the kharif season. Typically, the stock maintained during this time is around 33% of demand. 

 

To ensure adequate fertiliser availability throughout the season, the government has already secured 2.5 million tonnes of urea, 1.5 million tonnes of diammonium phosphate, and other complex fertilisers. These have been secured from routes other than the Strait of Hormuz and would arrive during June and July, Sharma said. "We have also issued another global tender for the procurement of 17 LMT (1.7 million tonnes) of urea, which is in progress," she added.  

 

On food grain availability, the government said the country has comfortable stocks of food grains and sugar. India has 51.3 million tonnes of wheat stocks in the central pool, significantly higher than the 27.5 million tonnes required to be maintained as the July opening stock. The government's wheat procurement in the ongoing rabi procurement season has crossed 35 million tonnes, up 17% on year, Food and Public Distribution Joint Secretary C. Shikha said.

 

On edible oil, the government sees prices as largely stable in the coming months. "We don't foresee any price pressures now or in the days to come. It is mainly because exporting countries' edible oil production is expected to peak in Jun-Sept," Shikha said. End

 

Reported by Afra Abubacker

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

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