Why India Is Importing More Urea and DAP Despite Stable Fertiliser Sales
08 January 2026, New Delhi: The Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) recently released provisional data on production, import, and sales of major fertilisers for April–November 2025, revealing a notable rebalancing of India’s fertiliser supply chain with growing reliance on imports to support nutrient availability across the country.
The data shows significant variation across key nutrients, with imports playing an increasingly pivotal role in supplementing domestic production during the critical crop nutrition months.
UREA: Imports Drive Supply as Domestic Output Slips
Urea sales reached 25.40 million tonnes during April–November 2025, a 2.3% increase from the same period last year. However, this growth masks an important supply chain shift: domestic urea production fell 3.7% to 19.75 million tonnes, while imports surged 120.3% to 7.17 million tonnes—nearly doubling from 3.26 million tonnes in the previous year.
In November alone, urea sales were 3.75 million tonnes, up 4.8% year-on-year. November imports jumped 68.4% to 1.31 million tonnes, compared to 0.78 million tonnes in November 2024. This import surge reflects planned supply management to ensure continuous availability during critical crop nutrition windows.
“The April–November data reveals the fertiliser sector’s evolved approach to nutrient security,” said Mr. S. Sankarasubramanian, Chairman, FAI, “While we’ve achieved sales growth through coordinated planning, the significant reliance on imports—particularly for urea and DAP—underscores the importance of strategic supply chain management and forward-looking import policy to ensure uninterrupted farmer access.”
DAP: Imports Offset Production Decline
DAP sales remained flat at 7.12 million tonnes during April–November 2025, down marginally 1.0% from last year. However, the underlying dynamics show a clear supply shift:
Domestic DAP production declined 5.2% to 2.68 million tonnes. DAP now depends 67% on imports for meeting nutrient demand, up from 56% last year
This structural change highlights India’s growing dependence on phosphatic imports to maintain fertiliser availability despite flat sales figures. The import reliance reflects both global market dynamics and the sector’s strategic choice to ensure farmer access to this critical primary nutrient.
Complex NPK Fertilisers: Strong Growth Amid Rising Import Dependency
NP and NPK complex fertiliser sales held steady at 10.38 million tonnes during April–November 2025, a marginal 0.1% increase. However, production and import trends reveal significant momentum:
Production surged 13.8% to 8.15 million tonnes. Imports nearly doubled, rising 98.7% to 2.72 million tonnes (from 1.37 million tonnes)
This dual growth signals farmers’ increasing preference for balanced, multi-nutrient formulations that address soil-specific and crop-specific nutrition requirements more precisely than single-nutrient products.
MOP: Solid Demand
MOP sales increased 8.6% to 1.55 million tonnes during April–November 2025.
SSP: Indigenous Phosphatic Strength Growing
Single Super Phosphate (SSP), India’s home-grown phosphatic fertiliser, demonstrated robust momentum: The Production increased 9.5% to 3.97 million tonnes. Sales rose 15.0% to 4.16 million tonnes.
The SSP performance shows farmer confidence in indigenous fertilisers and validates the sector’s capacity to deliver phosphatic nutrients domestically at competitive cost and quality.
Overall Narrative: Coordinated Supply Planning with Growing Reliance on Imports
The April–November 2025 data reflects a matured supply chain where domestic production and imports function in complementary roles. The key takeaway: Imports are structural, not supplementary. Urea imports at 120% growth, DAP imports at 54% growth, and complex fertiliser imports at 98.7% growth indicate that India’s fertiliser sector has integrated global supply chains into core planning.
“The standout stories in this data are twofold,” said Dr Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Director General, FAI. “First, the structural shift toward import-driven supply management for nitrogen and phosphate nutrients. Second, the strong performance of indigenous phosphatic fertilisers like SSP, which have grown 15% in sales. This signals a balanced approach—we’re securing critical nutrients through planned imports while strengthening domestic phosphatic production. Going forward, FAI will focus on data-driven planning and diversification in nutrient use to support sustainable agriculture.”
Key Facts Table
| Fertiliser | Production (% Change) | Imports (% Change) | Sales (% Change) | Key Insight |
| Urea | –3.7% (19.75 MT) | +120.3% (7.17 MT) | +2.3% (25.40 MT) | Import surge due to increased demand and marginal decline in production |
| DAP | –5.2% (2.68 MT) | +54.4% (5.54 MT) | –1.0% (7.12 MT) | Import reliance to the extent of 67% |
| MOP | — | –25.0% (1.95 MT) | +8.6% (1.55 MT) | Solid Demand |
| NP/NPK | +13.8% (8.15 MT) | +98.7% (2.72 MT) | +0.1% (10.38 MT) | Dual growth reflects farmer preference for balance |
| SSP | +9.5% (3.97 MT) | — | +15.0% (4.16 MT) | Indigenous phosphatic strength confirmed |
FAI will continue to monitor fertiliser production, import and sales trends and engage with stakeholders across the value chain to facilitate coordinated action in line with national agricultural priorities. The Association remains committed to evidence-based dialogue, supply chain transparency, and promotion of balanced fertilisation practices suited to India’s diverse agro-climatic zones.
Also Read: Government Of India Invites Public Comments on Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025
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