India Produces More Urea Than Planned

NEW DELHI - Nov 8/04 - SNS -- Urea production in India during the first half of the 2004-05 fiscal year, which started in April, is exceeding expectations.

Output totalled 10.00 million metric tons (MT) between April and September, up from a target of 9.657 million MT. The estimated production of urea during September 2004 was 1.648 million MT against the target of 1.639 million MT. However, production of DAP in the month of September remained at 417,000 MT against the target of 602,000 MT.

During September 2004, 1.625 million MT urea was dispatched to the States against the target of 1.6 million MT. Cumulative availability of urea during the current kharif season by the end of September 2004 has been 10.492 million MT and availability was satisfactory in all the States. So far no state has reported any shortage.

The sale of urea during Kharif 2004, was 9.61 million MT, up 3.2% from the 9.312 million MT sold during the same period one year earlier.

During the month of September 2004, there was no import of urea while 125,000 MT DAP and 383,000 MT of MOP was imported to the country. The cumulative import of urea, DAP and MOP as of September 30 is: 172,000 MT, 184,000 MT and 1.394 million MT respectively.