Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Fertiliser Firms Expand Specialty Nutrients as Farmer Demand Grows
Fertiliser companies are making more products designed for specific crops.
These products include micronutrients, biostimulants and fertilisers that can be used with drip irrigation.
Farmers are using them more for crops such as fruits, vegetables, cotton and wheat.
Companies say these products help plants absorb more nutrients than regular fertilisers.
Regular fertilisers such as urea are cheaper because the government heavily subsidises them.
Industry officials say too much urea can harm soil and affect crop yields.
Specialty fertilisers cost more, and many of their ingredients are imported.
Companies and industry groups want to build more factories and make it easier to sell these products across India.
Deepak Fertilisers, Coromandel International and SML are expanding specialty fertiliser capacity and crop-specific product lines.
Specialty nutrients, including micronutrients and water-soluble fertilisers, can achieve nutrient-use efficiency of 80-85%, according to industry officials.
Farmers are increasingly using these products for fruits, vegetables, cotton, sugarcane, soybean and wheat.
India consumed more than 70 MT of subsidised fertilisers in FY26, costing the government Rs 2.17 lakh crore in subsidies.
Industry representatives are seeking easier nationwide licensing and further capacity expansion for non-subsidised fertilisers.
- Who
- Deepak Fertilisers, Coromandel International, SML, farmers and representatives of the specialty-fertiliser industry.
- What
- Fertiliser manufacturers are expanding specialty, crop-specific nutrient products and capacity as farmer demand grows.
- When
- Expansion and adoption have increased over the past four to five years; the article also cites subsidised-fertiliser consumption in FY26.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- Farmers are seeking better yields, improved soil health, greater nutrient absorption and solutions for climate-related crop stress while conserving water.
Case for Specialty Nutrients
Cost and Supply Constraints
Farm productivity and soil health
Case for Specialty Nutrients
Manufacturers and industry representatives say specialty nutrients improve nutrient-use efficiency, support soil health, help crops withstand stress and can produce better outcomes with fewer inputs.
Cost and Supply Constraints
The products are more expensive than heavily subsidised fertilisers such as urea and DAP, so adoption remains much smaller than for conventional fertilisers.
Capacity and availability
Case for Specialty Nutrients
SML and other industry representatives say rising demand creates a major opportunity to expand production and develop balanced nutrition programmes.
Cost and Supply Constraints
Current manufacturing capacity is described as insufficient for the entire country, while most key ingredients are imported.
Regulation and public support
Case for Specialty Nutrients
The Soluble Fertilizer Industry Association wants non-subsidised fertiliser manufacturers to sell nationwide under a single licence and wants water-soluble fertilisers recognised as critical inputs.
Cost and Supply Constraints
The current system requires separate licences in each state, and the article does not indicate that the requested regulatory changes have been adopted.
- Specialty fertiliser efficiency
- Industry officials say nutrient-use efficiency can reach 80-85%.
- Conventional fertiliser efficiency
- Deepak Fertilisers' chairman said only about 30-40% of urea and similar conventional fertilisers is absorbed by soil.
- Deepak Fertilisers capacity
- The company currently produces 0.4 million tonne of specialty fertilisers annually.
- Subsidised fertiliser consumption
- More than 70 MT of subsidised fertilisers were consumed in FY26.
- FY26 subsidy outgo
- The subsidy bill for urea, DAP, potash and NPK variants was Rs 2.17 lakh crore.
- Indian specialty fertiliser market
- The sector, including water-soluble fertilisers, biostimulants and micronutrients, is valued at around Rs 8,232 crore.
- Demonstration plots
- Deepak Fertilisers has conducted about 95,000-100,000 demonstration plots over four to five years.