Govt clears Tk564cr fertiliser imports

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved the import of 115,000 tonnes of fertiliser from Canada, Russia and Saudi Arabia at a combined cost of Tk564.24 crore to ensure adequate supplies for farmers.

The approval was given at a CCGP meeting held at the National Economic Council, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. Of the total amount, 75,000 tonnes will be muriate of potash (MOP) fertiliser and 40,000 tonnes will be granular urea.

Under the approved proposals, Bangladesh will import 40,000 tonnes of MOP from Canada at a cost of Tk187.23 crore, with the price fixed at $377.63 per tonne. The fertiliser will be procured from Canadian Commercial Corporation under a state-level agreement with Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC).

Another 35,000 tonnes of MOP will be imported from Russia at a cost of Tk163.83 crore, also at $377.63 per tonne. The fertiliser will be supplied by JSC Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg).

In addition, the committee approved the import of 40,000 tonnes of granular urea from Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk213.19 crore. The price has been set at $430 per tonne, with the fertiliser to be procured from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company.

The MOP import proposals were placed by the Ministry of Agriculture, while the Ministry of Industries placed the proposal for urea. The latest approvals come as the government moves to ensure adequate fertiliser supplies for farmers during the 2026-27 fiscal year.