A shipment of 25,000 metric tons of urea fertiliser is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka in early May, the National Fertilizer Secretariat has said, easing supply concerns that had built up around the Yala cultivation season.
Director Chandana Lokuhewage told NewsFirst that 125,000 metric tons of urea is required for Yala paddy and other crops. With the new shipment factored in, the country’s available urea stocks are projected to reach approximately 151,000 metric tons by mid-May — a buffer of about 26,000 metric tons over the seasonal requirement.
The announcement is the most concrete supply update since global fertiliser prices spiked from $650 to $800 per metric ton earlier this month, as Hormuz shipping disruptions raised import costs across the agricultural input chain. Earlier coverage flagged forecasts that Yala paddy yields could fall 20% and maize yields up to 30% if fertiliser arrived late or in reduced quantities.
The government had previously confirmed that there was no immediate fertiliser shortage heading into Yala but had not, until now, given a precise tonnage for the next shipment.
Yala is the second of Sri Lanka’s two main agricultural seasons, running roughly from May through August. Paddy is the dominant crop and the country’s main staple. Urea — the principal nitrogen fertiliser — is almost entirely imported.
The arrival of the May shipment will be closely watched by farmers and agricultural officials given the elevated landed cost of imports during the ongoing Middle East crisis, even though domestic distribution prices remain subsidised.
