India said 15 vessels carrying fertilizer and raw materials from several suppliers, including Morocco, have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, easing immediate concerns over farm input supplies after recent disruption in West Asia.
The Indian Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said the ships are carrying 332,000 tonnes of urea, 257,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate, or DAP, and 111,000 tonnes of sulphur, all scheduled to reach Indian ports. Five additional vessels are also expected, including shipments of ammonia and urea.
The development matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for fertilizer trade. Reuters reported that before the recent war, around one-third of globally traded urea and nearly half of seaborne sulphur passed through the waterway. Disruption there pushed fertilizer prices higher and raised concerns over crop input availability in major importing countries.
Morocco’s role is linked mainly to phosphate-based fertilizers. India said it had arranged DAP and NPK fertilizer supplies through the Red Sea route from several countries, including Morocco, Russia, Egypt, the United States, Jordan, South Korea, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Morocco is one of the world’s key phosphate suppliers, making its shipments important for India’s DAP availability during the kharif agricultural season.
New Delhi said its domestic fertilizer stock now exceeds 16 million tonnes and that local production has also strengthened. Urea output between April and June reached more than 7 million tonnes, above the government’s target for the period, while DAP production also exceeded planned levels.
Indian Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister J.P. Nadda said the government had used diplomatic channels and alternative routes to protect supply chains after the West Asia conflict disrupted shipping and raised freight times. The ministry said 28 Indian missions abroad helped contact potential producers and suppliers to secure timely cargoes.
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