Ahead of paddy sowing, report flags risks of fertiliser import dependence

Bathinda: At a time when Punjab is preparing for the paddy sowing season — heavily dependent on chemical fertilisers and diesel consumption — a new report by IPES-Food (International Panel on Sustainable Food Systems) has warned against excessive reliance on volatile global markets for food and farm inputs.The report comes alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeal urging citizens to reduce fuel consumption and minimise chemical fertiliser use to save foreign exchange.The report, The New Geopolitics of Food, released on Monday, said countries dependent on imported food, fertilisers and long global supply chains were becoming increasingly vulnerable to wars, trade tensions, energy shocks and price volatility.For Punjab, where paddy cultivation relies heavily on imported fertilisers and fuel-intensive farming, the concerns assume significance ahead of the kharif season. Any disruption in fertiliser supply or spike in prices can directly impact sowing operations and input costs for farmers. Punjab, which is preparing for paddy transplantation next month, is among India's heaviest fertiliser-consuming states, using nearly 248 kg fertiliser per hectare. This is far above the national average of 140 kg per hectare.The report noted that global food prices remained over 35% above pre-pandemic levels, while the global food import bill touched a record USD 2.2 trillion in 2025. Experts warned that dependence on imported food and agricultural inputs was making countries more vulnerable to economic shocks.IPES-Food experts called for strengthening local supply chains, reducing dependence on imported farm inputs and building resilient local food systems. The report highlighted tools such as food reserves, supply management and local market support as ways to stabilise prices and protect food security.Jennifer Clapp, IPES-Food expert, said, "We're entering a new geopolitics of food, where food prices are shaped by conflict, trade disruption and power play. Crisis after crisis exposes the risks of outsourcing food security to distant markets and fragile supply chains."Another expert, Mamadou Goïta, said rising fertiliser import bills were squeezing countries financially and making food systems more vulnerable. "Reducing dependence is not a choice, but a necessity," he said.