Ludhiana, April 9 -- Even as tensions between Iran and the US in the Middle East have eased temporarily with a two-week pause in hostilities, agriculture experts have raised concerns over India's heavy reliance on fertiliser imports and the potential impact on farmers preparing for paddy sowing in the coming months. According to available data, 20-30% of India's urea is sourced from the Gulf region, while nearly 50% of liquefied natural gas (LNG), a key input for fertiliser production, also comes from the Middle East. Last week, in an interaction with the media, Union additional secretary in the department of fertilisers, Aparna Sharma, had said that the Gulf region accounts for 20% to 30% of India's urea imports and about 50% of its LNG imports, which is used to produce urea domestically. Punjab cultivates rice over 31.68 lakh hectares, and it requires 7.3 lakh tonnes of urea, according to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) soil scientist Rajeev Sikka. He said that the recent disruption in energy and fertiliser supply chains has exposed the vulnerability of India's agricultural system. "India's heavy dependence on imports, not only for LNG but also for fertilisers such as urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), and muriate of potash (MOP)-further amplifies the risk of supply instability. With the onset of the kharif season, fertiliser demand increases sharply, particularly for rice cultivation, which dominates large areas of Punjab. Although the government has assured sufficient availability of urea and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilisers, concerns persist," he said. Satish Bansal, a fertiliser wholesaler in Jagraon, said an acre of paddy typically needs two bags (90kg) of urea, but farmers generally use more. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said, "In case the peace doesn't last, it will be farmers who will be in a tough spot," he said. Sikka said that with better management and using alternatives, farmers can get the desired results while reducing costs. "Due to price distortions, assured availability, and subsidy-driven preferences, the recommended N:P:K ratios are rarely followed, affecting nutrient use efficiency and long-term soil health," he said. "PAU recommends application of two bags of urea per acre in rice; however, farmers often use more. Crop diversification offers a practical solution to this problem. Inclusion of low-nitrogen requiring crops such as summer moong, summer mash (urd), and main season pulses can reduce fertiliser demand. These crops not only require less nitrogen input but also have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through biological processes, thereby naturally enriching soil fertility," he added. Giving examples, he said, summer moong sown in April after the rabi crop goes into harvest just in time before paddy sowing. "Incorporation of summer moong residues, for instance, can save up to 16 kg of nitrogen per acre for the succeeding rice crop," he said....