India’s Fertilizer Imports Seen Jumping 76% to Record $18 Billion in FY25

The fertilizer import needs of India are forecasted to rise by 76 percent to an all-time high of 18 billion dollars during the fiscal year 2024-25, as compared to last year. Officials revealed on Wednesday that due to good monsoon rains, farmers have been motivated to increase their crop planting, which may raise fertilizer demand by at least 5 percent as compared to last year.

An official said that due to increased consumption, imports of urea and DAP (diammonium phosphate) have seen a sharp increase this year. This resulted in fertilizer imports worth $13.98 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year 2025-26, a 71 percent increase year-on-year. A significant amount of urea and other fertilizers is also expected to be imported in the last quarter, i.e., March, valued at at least $4 billion. India imported fertilizers worth $10.23 billion in 2024-25. A record $17.21 billion was spent in 2022-23, when global fertilizer prices rose due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to Agriculture Ministry data, farmers have sown crops on 65.2 million hectares so far, a 3.3% increase from last year. P.S. Gehlot, Managing Director of Indian Potash, said that the southwest monsoon from June to September received 8% more rainfall than average. October received 49% more rainfall than normal, providing soil moisture for sowing winter crops like wheat, rapeseed, and chickpea.