Four Fertiliser Ships Safely Cross Hormuz, Strengthen India’s Kharif Supplies

Four fertiliser-laden cargo vessels have safely transited the conflict-affected Strait of Hormuz and are now en route to India, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers said. The ships are carrying urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and sulphur for discharge at Krishnapatnam, Kakinada, Paradeep and Mundra ports, where the cargo will be added to India’s fertiliser buffers ahead of the Kharif sowing season.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil trade passes, has seen shipping traffic disrupted by the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict. Following talks in Switzerland, the US and Iran agreed to establish coordination mechanisms, including a hotline and a dedicated centre, so ships can seek clarification or assistance if any ambiguity or incident arises while transiting the narrow chokepoint.

According to ministry data, domestic fertiliser production has reached 133.12 lakh tonnes since the crisis began on March 1, while imports stand at 43.69 lakh tonnes. India has also contracted 17.70 lakh tonnes of urea in its latest global tender, taking total secured supplies of urea and P&K (phosphatic and potassic) fertilisers for the Kharif season to over 90 lakh tonnes.

Urea imports have been diversified across multiple origins, with cargoes secured from Oman, Malaysia, Vietnam, Georgia, Nigeria, Russia, Finland, Egypt, Algeria, Turkey and the Netherlands. DAP and NPK consignments are being routed via the Red Sea from suppliers in Russia, Morocco, Egypt, the US, Jordan, South Korea, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, helping spread geopolitical and supply-chain risk.

As of June 22, cumulative fertiliser stocks stood at 196.08 lakh tonnes, up from 168.67 lakh tonnes a year earlier. Urea inventory rose to 81.44 lakh tonnes (from 69.21 lakh tonnes), DAP stocks climbed to 20.92 lakh tonnes (from 16 lakh tonnes), and NPKs increased to 55.91 lakh tonnes (from 46.13 lakh tonnes), while Muriate of Potash (MoP) inventory reached 12.68 lakh tonnes and Single Super Phosphate (SSP) stood at 25.13 lakh tonnes.

Total fertiliser sales since March 1 have touched 153.4 lakh tonnes, compared with 140.2 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period last year, comprising 79.1 lakh tonnes of urea, 34.8 lakh tonnes of NPKs and 19.8 lakh tonnes of DAP. The ministry said it is working closely with state governments, distribution agencies and cooperative networks to ensure fertiliser availability remains “strong, stable and well managed” through the current geopolitical disruptions.