India buys 1.1 million tonnes of urea from Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria as Strait of Hormuz disruption drives up fertiliser costs

India has sharply increased urea purchases from Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria, importing about 1.1 million tonnes from the three African countries as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz force New Delhi to diversify fertiliser supplies and push costs higher.

According to commerce ministry data cited by Mint, India imported 2.5 million tonnes of urea in the first quarter of the current financial year, with Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Georgia accounting for 52% of the total.

Egypt supplied 609,000 tonnes, followed by Algeria with 245,000 tonnes and Nigeria with 244,000 tonnes, while Georgia shipped another 211,000 tonnes.

Combined, the three African countries supplied nearly 1.1 million tonnes, highlighting Africa’s growing role in meeting fertiliser demand in one of the world’s largest agricultural markets.

The shift is particularly notable because India imported no urea from the four countries during the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.