India turns to Belgium, Egypt for specialty fertilisers
China withholding exports of specialty fertilisers to India over past few months
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Amid reports of China withholding exports of specialty fertilisers to India over the past few months, domestic companies have turned to alternative suppliers in Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Morocco and the United States to bridge the supply gap, the government informed Parliament on Friday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Fertilisers Anupriya Patel clarified that specialty fertilisers fall outside the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme overseen by the Department of Fertilisers, and are thus unsubsidised.
"Fertiliser companies are free to import these products based on market dynamics," she said.
Patel highlighted ongoing efforts by Indian research bodies to foster self-reliance in nutrient management.
Institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities are developing indigenous alternatives, including zinc EDTA, boron blends, nano-fertilisers and bio-fertilisers enriched with micronutrients like zinc-solubilising bacteria.
These innovations, she noted, are aimed at reducing import dependence while promoting sustainable agricultural productivity.
