Kharif sowing revival lifts fertiliser sales, but urea still rules the market
Fertiliser sales recovered in July as improved monsoon rains revived kharif sowing across key crops. But the data also show that urea remains the dominant choice, underlining India’s persistent nutrient imbalance.<br /><br />The first-quarter slowdown, driven by weak June rains and tighter distribution controls, still weighs on the full-season picture. August demand will depend on how quickly sowing expands and whether rainfall stays supportive.
A late-July revival in monsoon-fed fieldwork has pushed fertiliser demand back into gear, but the recovery has also reinforced a familiar pattern in Indian agriculture: farmers are still leaning heavily on subsidised urea, even as officials continue to argue for a more balanced mix of nutrients.kharif sowing window. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, fertiliser off-take reached 41.09 lakh tonnes by July 17 against an estimated July requirement of 74.28 lakh tonnes. That means more than half of the month’s projected demand had already been met before the month ended, helped by a clearer weather picture after a sluggish start to the season.Rain revival changes the pace of sowingmonsoon underperformed in May and June. By July 31, the area under paddy was only 2 per cent below last year’s level, compared with a 9 per cent deficit on July 10. Cotton’s shortfall narrowed to 2 per cent from 15 per cent over the same period, while maize improved to a 7 per cent deficit from 20 per cent earlier in the month.The Hindu BusinessLine, agriculture scientist S K Singh said the rise in paddy, maize and cotton sowing during July had lifted fertiliser demand, and he added that the forecast of normal to above-normal rainfall in several June-deficient regions could support further buying in August, depending on how quickly sowing advances.Urea keeps its grip on salesfertilisers reached 8.42 lakh tonnes against expected demand of 17.07 lakh tonnes.First-quarter weakness still weighs on the numbersAgristack data, a step aimed at reducing excess purchases and improving targeting of subsidised supplies.August could determine whether the rebound lastsAgriculture Ministry expects the recovery to continue, projecting August demand at 38.01 lakh tonnes of urea, 9.81 lakh tonnes of DAP, 3.27 lakh tonnes of muriate of potash and 15.27 lakh tonnes of complex fertilisers. Those estimates suggest that the government is preparing for sustained field activity if rainfall remains supportive and sowing expands further in the coming weeks.