Speciality fertilisers, such as water-soluble fertiliser (WSF), are gaining importance in Indian agriculture with annual revenues for the fertiliser industry of USD 12.7 billion in 2018 and projected to reach USD 20.6 billion by 2028. WSF is mostly used for horticultural crops, cash crops and flowers grown using drip irrigation, as WSF maintains the fertility of the soil.

Over the years, there has been increasing pressure to adopt drip irrigation, which reduces water consumption and is suitable for use anywhere, including on undulating terrain, barren land, rolling topography, and areas with shallow soil layers. Government initiatives increasingly focus on increasing agricultural output, and coupled with various subsidies to promote the use of drip irrigation, there has been positive growth in the usage of WSF.

According to the Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, the production of WSF has not increased over the years in India as it is cheaper to import WSF than make it from the raw materials. The share of indigenous production in total sales of WSF is nearly 15% and the country is highly dependent on imports. A significant number of fertiliser manufacturers import either the finished product or the raw materials. The major producers supplying WSF to India are Norway, Russia, UAE, Malaysia, Belgium, Israel and China.

• Imports of WSF to JNPT

JNPT is one of the preferred ports for importing WSF, capturing almost 50% of the total imports to India (approximately 100,000 lakh MT in FY20). The port has an ideal geographical location that allows it to connect with various international seaports via sea-trade routes and it is close to various domestic markets. Also, the frequency with which vessels from various shipping lines call at JNPT makes it attractive and cost-effective for importers.

The major fertiliser companies that import WSF in JNPT are

• MICT II: Fertiliser and agriculture logistics park

International Cargo Terminals and Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. (ICTIPL), an infrastructure vertical of J M BAXI GROUP, has developed a multi-cargo logistics park, the second Mumbai International Cargo Terminal (MICT II), near the village of Kalambusare, which is ~18 km from JNPT. The logistics park is a front runner in the region, providing a single window service for EXIM volumes to the fertiliser and agri-based industries.

MICT II is close to JNPT, which makes it an ideal location, and it is well connected to major fertiliser consumption centres in the western, northern and central parts of India as shown below :

• MICT II: Trade benefits

Speciality fertiliser must be handled with great care. The importers have stringent requirements because the final product is traded in the open market without any subsidies or assistance provided by the government. Hence, the importers make sure that the products are neatly packed to a standard and accurately weighed. Each importer has a brand image as the products are sold to farmers. Thus, MICT II ensures its customers get a hasslefree experience by providing the following quality services :

Single window services

Customs clearance and documentation, container freight station, warehousing and supply chain solutions, all under one roof

Integrated systems

Reduced documentation effort using the SAP system with e-waybills, electronic sales orders and stock transfer orders, invoice booking and so on

Mechanised handling and bagging facility

Other allied value-added services

Grading, sorting, cleaning, repackaging, printing, drumming etc.

First and last mile transportation

Ensures seamless connectivity

Security

The facility is closely guarded. It has boundary fencing, closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance (24 hrs × 365 days) and security guards, which give the customers peace of mind that their cargo is safe and that handling losses are minimised

The J M BAXI GROUP

We are the pioneers in providing effective customised logistical solutions to the trade with our more than 100 years of experience.

• MICT II: WSF handling and storage

• Layout of WSF bagging system

• Mechanised bagging

• Photo gallery