India shouldn’t be affected if another country blocks fertiliser supply: Piyush Goyal

NEW DELHI : Union Commerce Minister Shri Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said India should not face difficulties even if another country stops fertiliser exports and called for a robust supply chain in fertilisers, insecticides, and pesticides.

He highlighted that the Centre ensured fertiliser prices did not rise by providing subsidies worth crores to shield farmers from cost increases.

His remarks comes after there were reports that India is facing an unexpected disruption in its supply of specialty fertilisers, with China quietly halting shipments to the country for over two months.

These fertilisers, crucial for boosting yields of high-value crops like fruits and vegetables, are now caught in what seems to be a silent trade war between the two neighbours. While there is no formal export ban in place, Chinese authorities have effectively blocked exports by not clearing shipments meant for India, said top executives of large importing companies.

“This time it is a complete halt,” said Rajib Chakraborty, President of the Soluble Fertilizer Industry Association (SFIA), in there port. “China has been restricting supplies to India for the past 4–5 years, but never like this.”India imports nearly 80% of its specialty fertilisers—used mainly for high-value crops and precision farming—from China.

These include water-soluble nutrients, liquid feeds, and controlled-release variants, which are not covered under the fertiliser subsidy programme.

Imports typically range between 150,000 and 160,000 tonnes during the June–December season. Though demand is rising, limited domestic production has kept India reliant on imports.

However, interest in local manufacturing is growing, with companies like Deepak Fertilisers, Paradeep Phosphates, and Nagarjuna Fertilisers already operating in this space.