Fertiliser Stocks at 139 Lakh Tonnes, Yet Kharif Shortages Persist on Ground
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers insists supply far exceeds demand for urea, DAP, MOP and NPK — but farmers in UP, Haryana and beyond are still crying foul this Kharif season.
The short answer
As of July 21, India held 139.34 lakh tonnes of fertiliser stocks, with national availability of urea, DAP, MOP and NPK all significantly outpacing state-wise demand, according to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers. Despite this, farmers in Uttar Pradesh and several other states have reported acute shortages of urea and DAP during Kharif 2026. The disconnect between official inventory data and ground-level scarcity points to distribution bottlenecks rather than an absolute supply deficit.
The disconnect
Ample Paper Supply, Empty Shelves on the Ground
Farmers across Uttar Pradesh and several other states have raised an alarm over urea and DAP shortages at the height of Kharif 2026 sowing. The government's response has been swift and data-heavy: there is no shortage, only perception.
According to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, national availability of every major fertiliser exceeded cumulative state demand as of July 21. Urea availability reached 166.78 lakh tonnes against state demand of 112.09 lakh tonnes. DAP availability stood at 40.29 lakh tonnes versus demand of 32.35 lakh tonnes. MOP and NPK also recorded comfortable surpluses — availability of 13.91 lakh tonnes and 85.56 lakh tonnes against respective demands of 10.29 lakh tonnes and 49.58 lakh tonnes.
Yet the gap between national aggregates and the farmer at the last mile remains the central, unresolved tension of this season.
State picture
UP Sits on 16 Lakh Tonnes of Urea — So Where Is It?
Uttar Pradesh has been the loudest source of farmer complaints this season, making its state-level data particularly revealing. Ministry figures show UP has sold 17.36 lakh tonnes of urea so far in 2025-26 and still holds 16.30 lakh tonnes in stock. On DAP, the state has sold 3.45 lakh tonnes while retaining stocks of 5.17 lakh tonnes.
Other major agricultural states tell a similar story:
- Haryana: Urea sales of 7.31 lakh tonnes; stocks of 2.21 lakh tonnes
- Punjab: Urea sales of 11.77 lakh tonnes; stocks of 3.24 lakh tonnes
- Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra: Each reporting urea stocks of 5.45 lakh tonnes
The data suggest the bottleneck lies not in procurement or warehousing, but in the distribution chain connecting state-level godowns to retail outlets and ultimately to farmers' fields.
Season scorecard
Sales Pace Picks Up; Kharif 2025 Provides a Benchmark
Between April 1 and July 21, cumulative sales across fertiliser types have been substantial. Urea sales reached 97.98 lakh tonnes, followed by NPK at 40.39 lakh tonnes, DAP at 23.52 lakh tonnes and MOP at 5.32 lakh tonnes.
A comparison with the completed Kharif 2025 season offers context. Full-season urea sales last year were 193.21 lakh tonnes against demand of 185.39 lakh tonnes, with availability of 230.51 lakh tonnes. DAP sales were 46.33 lakh tonnes against availability of 66.38 lakh tonnes. MOP and NPK likewise saw availability exceed demand comfortably.
With the 2025-26 total fertiliser requirement pegged at 677.18 lakh tonnes — approximately 4% higher than 649.43 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 — the demand baseline is rising, placing greater pressure on distribution networks to perform efficiently.
Supply-side risks
Iran Disruptions Dent Domestic Output; Tenders Plug the Gap
India's domestic urea production capacity stands at 269.42 lakh tonnes, but actual output in 2025-26 reached 293.30 lakh tonnes — well short of the record 314.07 lakh tonnes produced in 2023-24, according to the Department of Fertiliser. The ministry attributed the decline partly to disruptions in raw material supply chains caused by the conflict in Iran.
To compensate, the government moved proactively on global procurement:
- 25 lakh tonnes of urea sourced through international tenders in April 2025
- An additional 17.7 lakh tonnes procured via tenders in June 2025
These imports have helped shore up national inventory, but their effective deployment to deficit districts remains the critical variable. The Iran situation bears watching — any further escalation could tighten raw material availability and squeeze domestic production further into the season.
Why it matters
When official stock figures dwarf stated demand — UP alone holds 16.30 lakh tonnes of urea in reserve even after selling 17.36 lakh tonnes — the problem is evidently one of last-mile delivery, not procurement. For policymakers, this is a signal to fix distribution infrastructure and retailer-level accountability rather than simply import more fertiliser. With domestic urea output already affected by Iran-linked raw material disruptions and the country's total fertiliser requirement rising 4% to 677.18 lakh tonnes in 2025-26, any supply chain inefficiency carries a real cost for the Kharif crop and farm incomes.
Frequently asked
- How much fertiliser stock does India have as of July 21, 2025?
- As of July 21, India held a total of 139.34 lakh tonnes of fertiliser stocks, comprising 68.79 lakh tonnes of urea, 16.77 lakh tonnes of DAP, 8.61 lakh tonnes of MOP and 45.17 lakh tonnes of NPK, according to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
- Why are farmers reporting urea and DAP shortages despite high national stocks?
- Official data show national availability of all major fertilisers significantly exceeds state-wise demand. For instance, Uttar Pradesh — the loudest source of complaints — still holds 16.30 lakh tonnes of urea in stock. The shortages appear to reflect last-mile distribution gaps rather than an absolute supply deficit.
- How has India addressed the shortfall in domestic urea production in 2025-26?
- Domestic urea production in 2025-26 was 293.30 lakh tonnes, below the record 314.07 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, partly due to raw material disruptions linked to the Iran conflict. The government responded by procuring 25 lakh tonnes through global tenders in April and a further 17.7 lakh tonnes in June.
- What is India's total fertiliser requirement for 2025-26?
- The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has estimated India's total fertiliser requirement at 677.18 lakh tonnes for 2025-26, approximately 4% higher than the 649.43 lakh tonnes required in 2024-25.
Source
This report summarises and analyses coverage from Rural Voice — Latest. The analysis and India context are IndianAgri's own.