West Asia conflict cuts India fertilizer output 24.6% in March
Business
India's fertilizer production just dropped to its lowest point in five years this March, down a steep 24.6% compared to last year.
The main reason? Ongoing supply issues from the West Asia conflict.
This sharp fall dragged down the overall core sector index, which tracks eight major industries, by 0.4%, showing how one industry can ripple through the whole economy.
India boosts natural gas for fertilizers
While fertilizers struggled, steel and cement managed some growth: steel output was up 2.2% and cement rose by 4%, though both grew slower than before.
To help fix the fertilizer shortage, India has boosted natural gas supplies to fertilizer plants, a big deal since about one-fourth of our fertilizers usually come from imports.