Red Sea tensions won’t lead to fertiliser shortage, assures Mandaviya

Mandaviya said that a stock of 70 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) urea, 20 LMT diammonium phosphate (DAP), 10 LMT muriate of potash (MoP), 10 LMT NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and 20 LMT single super phosphate (SSP) is available as on January 17, and it is sufficient to meet the requirement of one season.

“In addition to the available stock, India’s domestic plants will also produce fertilisers in the coming week, so there will be no shortage of the nutrients in the country,” he said.

Mandaviya, however, said there has been an increase in freight cost because of tensions in the Red Sea region, which have escalated in the wake of the recent attacks by Yemen-based Houthi militants.

“Indian fertiliser cargoes are now coming via the Cape of Good Hope and that has raised freight costs significantly,” Mandaviya said.