India increases urea imports from Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Georgia

Key facts

• India imported 2.5 million tonnes (mt) of urea in the first quarter of FY27, with 52% sourced from Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Georgia.
• Egypt supplied 609,000 tonnes, Algeria 245,000 tonnes, Nigeria 244,000 tonnes, and Georgia 211,000 tonnes in Q1 FY27.
• The West Asia war disrupted traditional trade routes, prompting India to diversify urea sourcing.
• India's fertilizer subsidy bill is proposed to nearly double to ₹3.54 trillion for the current fiscal, against a budgeted ₹1.77 trillion.
• In FY26, India imported 194,830 tonnes from Egypt, 217,059 tonnes from Algeria, 124,215 tonnes from Georgia, and 447,090 tonnes from Nigeria, accounting for 8.8% of total urea imports of 11.2 million tonnes.
• India imports around 20% of its annual urea requirement.
• India trimmed its kharif season fertilizer demand estimate to 38.39 million tonnes from 39.05 million tonnes after IMD lowered monsoon forecast to 90% of LPA.