Government cuts Kharif fertiliser demand estimate on weak monsoon outlook

NEW DELHI: India estimates a little fertiliser depletion during the Kharif sowing play successful the airy of IMD’s forecast of beneath mean monsoon, a apical govt authoritative said connected Monday, adding the request for urea is present estimated astatine 190 lakh tonnes against the earlier projection of 194 lakh tonnes.The request of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) — different cardinal ungraded nutrient — has been lowered to 60 lakh tonnes against the earlier estimation of 66 lakh tonnes.Aparna Sharma, further caput successful fertiliser department, said that considering the El Nino effect, the section had requested the agriculture ministry for a reassessment of requirements. She added that based connected regular enactment of the ministry with states, it has informed astir the simplification successful request of urea and DAP.The authoritative besides said govt has floated a 2nd planetary tender for import of 17 lakh tonnes of urea, contempt a crisp emergence successful planetary prices to boost home supplies for the Kharif season. Sharma said the planetary terms of urea has accrued from $447 per tonne successful Feb to $947 per tonne.Meanwhile, officials from the user affairs and nutrient departments said that determination is surplus banal of rice, wheat and pulses to conscionable home request and for marketplace intervention.

Anupam Mishra, further caput successful user affairs department, said the buffer banal of pulses with govt is astir 43 lakh tonnes, much than treble the stocks recorded successful May 2025.He added accumulation of large horticultural crops similar potato, herb and bulb are capable to conscionable home request — murphy accumulation is astatine 584 lakh tonnes against 586 lakh tonnes past harvest year; herb astatine 227 lakh tonnes against 205 lakh tonnes past year; and bulb astatine 273 lakh tonnes against 307 lakh tonnes past year.Govt has besides acceptable a people to make a buffer banal of 2 lakh tonnes of bulb successful 2026-27.Food section officials said that arsenic of May 2026, wheat banal successful the cardinal excavation was 513 lakh tonnes, which is astir treble of the prescribed buffer norm for July 1. Wheat procurement during the existent Rabi selling play has reached astir 350 lakh tonnes and procurement operations proceed up to June 30.The atom banal successful the cardinal excavation is astatine 397 lakh tonnes, astir 3 times much than the required buffer banal for July 1.