By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, Oct 30 (BVI): Indian Railways has recorded a sharp increase in fertilizer transportation in September 2025 with the timely supplies to different agricultural regions ahead of the upcoming Rabi sowing season.
According to the latest data available with the Ministry of Railways, the national transporter loaded 6.37 million tonnes of fertilizers during the month. This is an increase of almost 37 percent compared to September 2024 data. The total fertilizer loading in September 2024 was about 4.60 million tonnes.
Officials said that the increase in loading is to ensure adequate supply of fertilizers to key regions before farmers begin sowing winter crops.
The data shows that out of total freight revenue of Rs 13,646.39 crore in September, fertilizer transport contributed Rs 790.25 crore, accounting for 5.79 percent of total earnings. This has increased by 1.65 percentage points compared to the same month last year.
Some of the key loading areas are eastern ports like vizag, paradip, kakinada, krishnapatnam and western ports like kandla, mundra, KRIBHCO etc.
“The increase in loading is the early supply of fertilizers to key areas. It also indicates growing trust among fertilizer manufacturers and distributors in the reliability and cost-effectiveness of rail transport,” said a senior official of Ministry of Railways.
The official also said that for the first half of the financial year (April-September 2025), the rail coefficient for fertilizer supply stood at almost 87 percent, showing Railways’ key role in bulk commodity movement in catering to seasonal demand.
The notable rise in fertilizer loading is reflecting the Railways’ commitment to transport and ensuring seamless supply of fertilizer to each farmer.
This growth also highlights Railways’ expanding role in supporting the agricultural supply chain by ensuring the efficient and dependable movement of fertilizers across the country.
The rise underscores the growing trust of the fertilizer sector in Railways’ dependable and cost-effective freight services.
Agriculture remains the backbone of the Indian economy, employing nearly half of the workforce and contributing significantly to rural livelihoods and food security.
By ensuring the smooth movement of fertilizers, Indian Railways directly supports higher crop productivity, stable food prices, and the overall resilience of India’s agricultural ecosystem.
The performance demonstrates Indian Railways’ vital role in ensuring the seamless movement of essential commodities and strengthening India’s agricultural logistics backbone. (BVI)
