Ludhiana, April 30 -- Amid escalating tensions linked to the West Asia conflict and disruptions in global energy supply chains, experts at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have warned that India's heavy dependence on imported fertiliser raw materials and nutrients could create supply stress ahead of the kharif season, posing a challenge for Punjab where paddy cultivation across 31.68 lakh hectares requires nearly 7.3 lakh tonnes of urea.

Dr Rajeev Sikka, head of soil science, and Dr AS Dhatt, director of research, said India remains significantly reliant on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MOP), making the farm sector vulnerable to geopolitical volatility and price fluctua...