Four Fertilizer Vessels Transit Strait of Hormuz as India Strengthens Kharif Supplies

New Delhi, Jun 23 (KNN)  Four vessels carrying consignments of urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and sulphur have successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are en route to Indian ports, providing additional fertilizer supplies for the ongoing Kharif season.

The shipments are destined for Krishnapatnam, Kakinada, Paradeep and Mundra ports, where the cargo will be unloaded and integrated into the country's fertilizer distribution network.

According to the Department of Fertilizers, India's fertilizer stocks stood at 196.08 lakh tonnes as of June 22, compared with 168.67 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period last year.

 The inventory includes 81.44 lakh tonnes of urea, 20.92 lakh tonnes of DAP, 55.91 lakh tonnes of NPK fertilizers, 12.68 lakh tonnes of muriate of potash (MOP) and 25.13 lakh tonnes of single super phosphate (SSP).

Fertilizer sales between March 1 and June 21 reached 153.4 lakh tonnes, an increase from 140.2 lakh tonnes recorded during the same period last year.

Urea sales accounted for 79.1 lakh tonnes, followed by 34.8 lakh tonnes of NPK fertilizers and 19.8 lakh tonnes of DAP, including triple super phosphate (TSP).

The department said domestic fertilizer production during the period reached 133.12 lakh metric tonnes, while imports totalled 43.69 lakh metric tonnes.

India has also contracted 17.70 lakh metric tonnes of urea under its latest global tender. With this procurement, the country has secured more than 90 lakh metric tonnes of urea and phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilizers for the current Kharif season.

The government said fertilizer imports have been sourced from a diversified supplier base.

Urea supplies have been contracted from countries including Oman, Malaysia, Vietnam, Georgia, Nigeria, Russia, Finland, Egypt, Algeria, Turkey and the Netherlands, while DAP and NPK fertilizers have been sourced from Russia, Morocco, Egypt, the United States, Jordan, South Korea, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

(KNN Bureau)