India to import muriate of potash from Israel for Kharif season

Tags: Economics/Business

India is building a stock of fertiliser for the forthcoming Kharif season by importing fertilisers from Israel to ensure sufficient supplies for the coming Kharif season after the disruption of shipments caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

• Indian Potash Ltd has signed a five-year deal to import  600,000 tonnes of  muriate of potash from Israel Chemical Ltd.

• India is a major importer of fertiliser in the world.  India depends on imports for its entire annual consumption of 4 million to 5 million tonnes of potash and it used to import a third of this from Belarus and Russia.

• Landlocked Belarus uses ports in Russia and Lithuania for its exports.Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, shipping routes have been closed off and western sanctions on Moscow, have made it difficult to trade with Russian and Belarusian companies

• India Potash Limited is a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department of Fertilisers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India. 

Cropping Season In India 

There are broadly three cropping season in India 

• Kharif : These are sown in the rainy season from June/July and harvested in  October /November  

Main crops  Paddy, maize, Soybean, Groundnut,  Cotton, Arhar, Moong , urad

• Rabi : These are sown in the winter season in the month of November/December and harvested in the month of  March/April. 

Main crops are  Wheat , mustard, gram pea, potato, oats, Barley. Sunflower, gram  etc.

• Zaid : These are grown after Rabi season and before the start of Kharif season. Mainly vegetables, water melon, Cucumber  etc are grown