Fertiliser scenario is grim, to say the least

The US-Israel war against Iran threatens not only the flow of petrol and gas, but is also likely to impact fertilizer supply due to disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. India is all likely to face potential shortage of 20 to 25 per cent of urea, ammonia and sulphur thereby raising the input cost for farmers ahead of the Kharif season. During 2025, India imported a little over 2,300 metric tonnes of urea with West Asian nations supplying around 71 per cent of it. Forty-five per cent of it came from Oman while Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates cumulatively supplied the rest 26 per cent.

The supplies from the latter three nations have to essentially pass through the Strait of Hormuz currently open for only nations friendly to Iran.
India recorded national consumption of 387 metric tonnes of urea during 2025 following a decade of steady growth. While domestic production has commendably increased to 306 lakh metric tonnes, the nation still suffers from a deficit of around 80 lakh metric tonnes for which it has to depend upon imports from the Gulf nations.

Not alone this, the domestic production too is likely to suffer as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) forms the main feedstock of the production of urea. Several urea plants rely upon naptha or fuel oil which in turn are derived out of crude oil. The scenario is grim as 30 per cent of fertiliser production owes itself to LNG. In the event of continuance of the war, the government may have to explore alternative ways to import urea and other fertilisers from other producing nations.