15 of 20 fertiliser ships stuck at Hormuz set sail, relief for farmers

NEW DELHI: Fifteen out of 20 India-bound ships in the Persian Gulf carrying fertiliser cargo have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, which will help augment the country's soil nutrient stocks, govt said Sunday. In addition, for three consecutive months - April to June - domestic urea production has surpassed the target, with 71.6 lakh tonnes having been produced in these months as against the target of 67.9 lakh tonnes.The two developments will ensure adequate fertiliser availability for farmers during the ongoing kharif crop cultivation, officials said. Fertiliser minister J P Nadda said govt had focused on getting soil nutrients through alternative routes during the crisis. He added that Indian missions abroad had actively assisted the department in establishing contact with potential global producers and suppliers. "As a result, both our fertiliser imports and domestic production are in a very strong position today," he said.Urea supplies have been successfully arranged from Oman, Malaysia, Vietnam, Georgia, Nigeria, Russia, Finland, Egypt, Algeria, Turkiye and the Netherlands; in the case of DAP and NPK fertilisers, supplies have been secured through Red Sea route from Russia, Morocco, Egypt, the United States, Jordan, South Korea, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.The department said that in April, urea production had reached 21 lakh tonnes as against the target of 20.3 lakh tonnes and in May 2026, it stood at 25.2 lakh tonnes, exceeding the target of 22.5 lakh tonnes. Similarly in June, production reached 25.4 lakh tonnes as against the target of 25 lakh tonnes.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.