NEW DELHI: India is in talks with Saudi Arabia to secure more fertilizer from the Kingdom, as the South Asian nation faces increasing pressure from disruption caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
India, the world’s second-largest fertilizer consumer after China, uses more than 60 million tons annually. The country’s domestic production of urea, which accounts for over half its total fertilizer consumption, has been impacted since shipping routes were disrupted by the war in the Middle East.
The Gulf region is a key source of India’s fertilizer imports, accounting for up to 30 percent of urea, about 30 percent of phosphate fertilizer DAP, and nearly 50 percent of liquified natural gas, a key raw material for fertilizer production.
Earlier this week, India’s Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda and Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef held a virtual meeting to discuss the issue.
“In view of evolving global challenges and disruptions in West Asia, India has taken proactive steps to ensure the stability and continuity of fertilizer supplies for our farmers,” Nadda said after the talks.
Saudi Arabia is the second-largest source of DAP for India, and the two countries share a “strong and growing partnership” in the fertilizer sector, said Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom, Suhel Ajaz Khan.
“Saudi Arabia has been a reliable and significant supplier of DAP, NPK and urea fertilizers to India over the years, consistently supporting its agricultural needs,” he told Arab News on Saturday. “Both sides remain in regular touch and more such long-term arrangements are under discussion between our two countries to further secure the supply of fertilizers.”
The move comes as Indian farmers raise concerns over the ripple effects of fuel shortages and soaring fertilizer prices as they prepare for the growing season.
“If there is no fertilizer, the yield from farms will go down drastically. India has a huge population that needs to be fed and many are on the margins. If we don’t grow enough, how will we feed them?” Rakesh Kumar Bains, press secretary of Indian Farmers’ Union BKU, said to Arab News.
The government’s recent appeal to Indians to shift to natural farming and make use of natural fertilizers to mitigate the impacts of the global crisis is “misplaced,” he added, explaining that the country’s food production still depends on the government securing a steady supply of fertilizers.
“It cannot be implemented. With natural fertilization, the yield per acre would be 10 quintals; with fertilizer, it is 30. The government cannot be oblivious to this reality. We adopted fertilizer to boost agriculture and we cannot stop it suddenly,” Bains said. “To maintain good yield, we need fertilizer, and it’s up to the government how it manages that.”
Closer cooperation with Saudi Arabia is important for India “to maintain uninterrupted stock to meet domestic agriculture needs,” said Manish Mohan, a senior director at Confederation of Indian Industry.
“We need to really look at Saudi Arabia and our imports of fertilizers from Saudi Arabia at this critical time,” he told Arab News.
“Beyond DAP, Saudi Arabia also exports other crucial minerals, mineral fertilizers, and urea to India, and we have been consistently importing from Saudi Arabia, and it is emerging among the top three overall fertilizer import partners globally. There is huge scope (for further imports).”
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