Food price pressures are intensifying globally, with rice inflation surging since the start of the Iran war, driven by soaring fertiliser costs. In this next report of news in numbers, we dive into the details.


Global Food Price Inflation: Key Highlights

The Iran war is disrupting global fertiliser supplies. Key shipping routes are under strain, delaying urea exports and choking trade flows. Production in the gulf has dropped sharply, while vessels remain stuck near ports. With limited storage, producers risk shutdowns, further tightening supply. In the next news in numbers report, we break down the impact on global fertiliser markets. Take a look.


Fertiliser Chaos: Which Regions Are at the Most Risk

What started as an energy shock is spiralling into the global food system. Fuel prices usually correct following diplomatic developments around Iran, but fertiliser markets continue to remain under stress.
The big question… are we heading toward the next food inflation cycle?

Fertiliser Spike Signals Incoming Food Inflation

Reducing Nitrogen from global agricultural lands is an urgently needed reform. Alternating crops by optimizing use of nitrogen can help yield huge environmental and health benefits. The reduction of nitrogen from crop fields in particular will also help in boosting food production calling it a grand challenge.

WION Climate Tracker: Fertilisers without Carbon emissions

To help the farming community of Jammu and Kashmir, the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Science Technology (SKUAST) and&nbsp;the Government of Jammu and Kashmir have introduced high-tech drones to spray chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides in the orchards.&nbsp;

This technology will help the farming community of the region and lower the costs. From manual labour to minimal usage of chemicals and saving time, this technology could be a great help for the farmers of the Kashmir Valley. The government says that if the farmers adopt technology, it will help in increasing economic productivity, reducing environmental pollution and attracting youth to agriculture.

''The agriculture university of Kashmir is now working with the government of Jammu and Kashmir about the modernisation of agriculture, it includes bringing in new technologies. We would also include Artificial Intelligence. We have today introduced drones for spraying of pesticides and fertilizers in our orchards, conventionally we are using excessive use of chemicals, 90 per cent of all the chemicals used in Jammu and Kashmir are sprayed on these orchards."

Using drones will bring down the percentage of pesticides by around 90 per cent. We will also be reducing the labour cost. It would be more precise with a mist spray. We are sure we will be taking agriculture to the next level with the support of the government,'' said Nazir Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST. &nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir has&nbsp;around one lakh sixty thousand hectares of land under horticulture and over 20 lakh metric tonnes of fruit are grown every year. Around 8 per cent of the economy of the Union Territory is contributed by horticulture.&nbsp;

''Horticulture is the backbone of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, It is around 15 thousand crore rupees (Rs 150 billion), and we believe there is potential to increase it to four times. It won't happen without technology. Drone technology is one aspect,&nbsp;we are also bringing Artificial Intelligence.&nbsp;We are collecting data on how it's spraying the pesticides, at what height, and whether the mist it is spraying is sufficient for the requirement of the plant. We are collecting all the data and by next year we will be able to give it to farmers for use,'' said Vice Chancellor Ahmad. &nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/over-200-female-athletes-trained-in-water-sports-with-a-goal-to-represent-india-538571">&nbsp;Over 200 female athletes trained in water sports with a goal to represent India</a>

The drones are not fitted with a camera yet due to security reasons. But SKUAST is working with the government and will soon be fitting a spectrum camera which will detect the disease of the plant and spray it with exactly the kind of chemical to treat the disease. Using this technology will save 90 per cent of the chemicals which will be great for the environment and also good for health.&nbsp;

''Our drone is called Agri boat.&nbsp;It is the first drone approved by DGCA. It is designed for 10 litres of liquid that will be sprayed over one acre of land. The battery life is around 20 minutes per charge. It can cover up to one hectare of land per battery charge. A farmer can save around 90 per cent of water, generally, it takes three hours for an acre of land and that too with a team of labourers, so if we compare this is less time-consuming and needs much lower manual labour. The second is human contact with chemicals would be much lesser,'' said Dheeraj Yadav, engineer.&nbsp;

The farming community of the Kashmir region has hailed the initiative and demanded that drones be made available soon.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

To help the farming community of Jammu and Kashmir, the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Science Technology (SKUAST) and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir have introduced high-tech drones to spray chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides in the orchards.

To help the farming community of Jammu and Kashmir, the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Science Technology (SKUAST) and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir have introduced high-tech drones to spray chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides in the orchards. This technology will help the farming community of the region and lower the costs. From manual labour to minimal usage of chemicals and saving time, this technology could be a great help for the farmers of the Kashmir Valley. The government says that if the farmers adopt technology, it will help in increasing economic productivity, reducing environmental pollution and attracting youth to agriculture. ''The agriculture university of Kashmir is now working with the government of Jammu and Kashmir about the modernisation of agriculture, it includes bringing in new technologies. We would also include Artificial Intelligence. We have today introduced drones for spraying of pesticides and fertilizers in our orchards, conventionally we are using excessive use of chemicals, 90 per cent of all the chemicals used in Jammu and Kashmir are sprayed on these orchards." Using drones will bring down the percentage of pesticides by around 90 per cent. We will also be reducing the labour cost. It would be more precise with a mist spray. We are sure we will be taking agriculture to the next level with the support of the government,'' said Nazir Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST. Jammu and Kashmir has around one lakh sixty thousand hectares of land under horticulture and over 20 lakh metric tonnes of fruit are grown every year. Around 8 per cent of the economy of the Union Territory is contributed by horticulture. ''Horticulture is the backbone of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, It is around 15 thousand crore rupees (Rs 150 billion), and we believe there is potential to increase it to four times. It won't happen without technology. Drone technology is one aspect, we are also bringing Artificial Intelligence. We are collecting data on how it's spraying the pesticides, at what height, and whether the mist it is spraying is sufficient for the requirement of the plant. We are collecting all the data and by next year we will be able to give it to farmers for use,'' said Vice Chancellor Ahmad. Also Read: Over 200 female athletes trained in water sports with a goal to represent India The drones are not fitted with a camera yet due to security reasons. But SKUAST is working with the government and will soon be fitting a spectrum camera which will detect the disease of the plant and spray it with exactly the kind of chemical to treat the disease. Using this technology will save 90 per cent of the chemicals which will be great for the environment and also good for health. ''Our drone is called Agri boat. It is the first drone approved by DGCA. It is designed for 10 litres of liquid that will be sprayed over one acre of land. The battery life is around 20 minutes per charge. It can cover up to one hectare of land per battery charge. A farmer can save around 90 per cent of water, generally, it takes three hours for an acre of land and that too with a team of labourers, so if we compare this is less time-consuming and needs much lower manual labour. The second is human contact with chemicals would be much lesser,'' said Dheeraj Yadav, engineer. The farming community of the Kashmir region has hailed the initiative and demanded that drones be made available soon.

J&K government introduces drones for spraying fertilisers, pesticides in orchards

As the war in Ukraine continues to increase the fertilizer prices worldwide, farmers in Uganda came out with an eco-friendly solution to the fertiliser issue using the help of insects.

WION Climate Tracker: Hungry bugs fighting Uganda's fertiliser crisis

Eating urine-fertilised food: What is the potential of pee? 

A four-year project in Denmark, Europe's largest exporter of festive tall evergreen trees, aims to crossbreed a new type of tree that's more resilient to milder temperatures and more sustainable, requiring less fertiliser and pesticides.

Project aims to crossbreed new type of more resilient Christmas tree in Denmark

Seeking to allay concerns, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said there will be more than adequate supply of crop nutrients, including urea and DAP, in November, and urged farmers not to hoard the commodities on rumours of shortage.

He asked state governments to take strict action against hoarders and those engaged in black marketing.

Through a video message posted on Twitter, the minister said he held a meeting with officials of the Department of Fertilisers to review the availability of fertilisers across the country. The sowing of rabi (winter-sown) crops, including wheat and mustard, has already started from last month.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/developed-nations-enjoyed-fruits-of-energy-must-reduce-their-emissions-india-425696" hreflang="en">Developed nations enjoyed fruits of energy, must reduce their emissions: India</a>

Dispelling the rumours of shortage, Mandaviya said the department has made plans to make available 76 lakh tonnes of urea for November as against the demand of 41 lakh tonnes by states.

Similarly, he said 18 lakh tonnes of DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) has been made available as against the projected demand of 17 lakh tonnes. As much as 30 lakh tonnes of NPK nutrients will be supplied this month as against the demand of 17 lakh tonnes.

"The government has made arrangements to supply more fertilisers than required in November. Hence, I appeal to all farmers not to get carried away by rumours of shortage and request not to hoard fertilisers," Mandaviya said.

The minister said he has got information from various states about the black marketing of fertilisers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/good-governance-must-percolate-to-lowest-level-vice-president-venkaiah-naidu-425945" hreflang="en">Good governance must percolate to lowest level: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu</a>

He asked states to take strict action against hoarding and black marketing of fertilisers.

The government is making available fertilisers, namely urea and 24 grades of P&amp;K (phosphatic and potassic) fertilisers, to farmers at subsidised prices through manufacturers/ importers.

The subsidy on P&amp;K fertilisers is being governed by the NBS (nutrient-based subsidy) scheme with effect from April 2010.

In the case of urea, the Centre has fixed the maximum retail prices and reimburses the difference between the MRP (maximum retail price) and production cost in the form of subsidy.

Last month, the government announced a net subsidy of Rs 28,655 crore on P&amp;K fertilisers to ensure that farmers get nutrients at affordable prices during the rabi sowing season.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-welcome-all-students-schools-reopen-after-19-months-425900" hreflang="en">'We welcome all students': Schools reopen after 19 months</a>

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the NBS rates for P&amp;K fertilisers for the October 2021-March 2022 period.

Under the NBS, the per-kg subsidy rates of N (nitrogen) has been fixed at Rs 18.789, P (phosphorus) Rs 45.323, K (potash) Rs 10.116 and S (sulphur) at Rs 2.374.

India imports a large quantity of urea, DAP and muriate of potash (MoP) to meet domestic demand.&nbsp;The government is reviving many closed urea fertiliser plants to make the country self-sufficient.

Seeking to allay concerns, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said there will be more than adequate supply of crop nutrients, including urea and DAP, in November, and urged farmers not to hoard the commodities on rumours of shortage.

Seeking to allay concerns, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said there will be more than adequate supply of crop nutrients, including urea and DAP, in November, and urged farmers not to hoard the commodities on rumours of shortage. He asked state governments to take strict action against hoarders and those engaged in black marketing. Through a video message posted on Twitter, the minister said he held a meeting with officials of the Department of Fertilisers to review the availability of fertilisers across the country. The sowing of rabi (winter-sown) crops, including wheat and mustard, has already started from last month. Also read | Developed nations enjoyed fruits of energy, must reduce their emissions: India Dispelling the rumours of shortage, Mandaviya said the department has made plans to make available 76 lakh tonnes of urea for November as against the demand of 41 lakh tonnes by states. Similarly, he said 18 lakh tonnes of DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) has been made available as against the projected demand of 17 lakh tonnes. As much as 30 lakh tonnes of NPK nutrients will be supplied this month as against the demand of 17 lakh tonnes. "The government has made arrangements to supply more fertilisers than required in November. Hence, I appeal to all farmers not to get carried away by rumours of shortage and request not to hoard fertilisers," Mandaviya said. The minister said he has got information from various states about the black marketing of fertilisers. Also read | Good governance must percolate to lowest level: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu He asked states to take strict action against hoarding and black marketing of fertilisers. The government is making available fertilisers, namely urea and 24 grades of P&K (phosphatic and potassic) fertilisers, to farmers at subsidised prices through manufacturers/ importers. The subsidy on P&K fertilisers is being governed by the NBS (nutrient-based subsidy) scheme with effect from April 2010. In the case of urea, the Centre has fixed the maximum retail prices and reimburses the difference between the MRP (maximum retail price) and production cost in the form of subsidy. Last month, the government announced a net subsidy of Rs 28,655 crore on P&K fertilisers to ensure that farmers get nutrients at affordable prices during the rabi sowing season. Also read | 'We welcome all students': Schools reopen after 19 months The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the NBS rates for P&K fertilisers for the October 2021-March 2022 period. Under the NBS, the per-kg subsidy rates of N (nitrogen) has been fixed at Rs 18.789, P (phosphorus) Rs 45.323, K (potash) Rs 10.116 and S (sulphur) at Rs 2.374. India imports a large quantity of urea, DAP and muriate of potash (MoP) to meet domestic demand. The government is reviving many closed urea fertiliser plants to make the country self-sufficient.

Government appeals to farmers not to hoard fertilisers

Sri Lanka has agreed to China's request to reinspect the rejected stock of the Chinese fertilizers amid an ongoing row.

Sri Lanka accepts China's request to re-inspect fertiliser stock

fertilisers

Fertilisers, News on Fertilisers, stories on Fertilisers, articles on Fertilisers, Fertilisers stories at Wion, Fertilisers news, Fertilisers latest news