In his first media interaction since assuming the role, Patel explained that Sri Lanka is under consideration for a diammonium phosphate (DAP) or phosphoric acid plant due to its high-quality rock phosphate deposits. In Jordan, Iffco intends to double phosphoric acid capacity from 500,000 tonnes to 1 million tonnes at the existing Jordan India Fertiliser Company joint venture.
For Senegal, options include increasing Iffco's stake in the Industries Chimiques du Senegal urea facility or establishing a new plant with partners, alongside potential rock phosphate development projects.
"Getting good-quality raw materials is increasingly becoming a challenge, for which one either has to pay more or incur a higher financial burden. A better option is to set up manufacturing units in those parts of the world where these resources are available in abundance," Patel told reporters.
India meets its entire requirement of rock phosphate and phosphoric acid through imports. DAP ranks as the country's second-most consumed fertiliser after urea, with annual demand of 10–11 million tonnes, of which approximately 4–5 million tonnes is imported. Rising global prices and tighter availability have increased domestic production costs in recent periods.
Patel noted that a recent memorandum of understanding between three Indian fertiliser companies and Russia’s Uralchem for a 1.8–2 million tonne urea plant could serve as a template for future overseas investments.
In financial year 2025, Iffco recorded turnover of ?41,244 crore and profit after tax of ?2,823 crore. The cooperative produced 9.31 million tonnes of nitrogenous and complex fertilisers and sold 11.38 million tonnes. It also manufactured 45.6 million bottles of nano fertilisers and sold 36.5 million bottles.
Patel stated that sales of nano urea and nano DAP are expected to rise significantly as farmer awareness grows. Iffco is developing nano granular NPK, which will soon enter field trials. This root-targeted formulation requires less than 5 kg to match the nutrient delivery of a standard 50 kg NPK bag.
A new five-year joint efficacy study with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research will evaluate various nano fertiliser products across 25 centres in different agro-climatic zones. Current annual production capacity for nano liquid products stands at nearly 290 million bottles, with sales projected at around 35 million bottles in the coming year.
These overseas manufacturing initiatives focus on securing inputs for domestic fertiliser production and do not alter existing import or export patterns of finished fertilisers. The strategy aims to enhance supply-chain reliability while supporting continued availability of key nutrients for Indian agriculture.
