IFFCO reports ₹3,811 crore profit in FY25; Nano fertilizer sales surge by 47pc

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, MAY 29, 2025

Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), the world’s number one cooperative as ranked by the International Cooperative Alliance, has reported outstanding financial performance for the fiscal year 2024–25 (FY25). The cooperative posted a profit before tax of ₹3,811 crore, accompanied by a robust turnover of ₹41,244 crore. A key driver of this exceptional performance has been the dramatic growth in sales of nano fertilizers, which rose by an impressive 47 per cent over the previous fiscal year. A total of 365.09 lakh bottles of nano fertilizers were sold in FY 2024–25, compared to 248.95 lakh bottles in FY 2023–24.

IFFCO Chairman Dileep Sanghani hailed the achievement as a proud moment for India’s cooperative sector, asserting that the continued success of IFFCO is turning the vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” into a reality. He highlighted that IFFCO has now registered profits exceeding ₹3,000 crore for three consecutive years, underlining the organization’s consistent growth and sound financial health. For the last 23 years, IFFCO has also rewarded its member societies with a 20 per cent dividend on paid-up share capital, a testament to its unwavering commitment to equitable and sustainable development. He attributed much of the recent success to the strategic focus on nano fertilizers, supported by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, and backed by comprehensive farmer awareness and outreach campaigns.

The detailed breakdown of nano fertilizer sales reveals that 268 lakh bottles of IFFCO Nano Urea Plus (Liquid) and 97 lakh bottles of IFFCO Nano DAP (Liquid) were sold during the year, reflecting a 31 per cent and 118 per cent increase respectively compared to the previous fiscal. The total volume of nano fertilizer sold equates to the nutrient equivalent of approximately 12 lakh metric tonnes of conventional urea and 4.85 lakh metric tonnes of conventional DAP, showcasing the efficiency and environmental advantage of nano formulations.

Dr. U. S. Awasthi, Managing Director of IFFCO, announced that the cooperative will soon launch Nano NPK fertilizer in granular form for basal soil application. This next-generation product, enriched with magnesium, sulphur, zinc, and copper, is expected to further boost crop productivity and minimize nutrient losses. Alongside this, IFFCO also plans to introduce nano zinc and nano copper in 100 ml liquid formats to fulfill essential micronutrient needs. Dr. Awasthi emphasized that through the integration of nanotechnology, drones, and artificial intelligence, IFFCO is transforming India’s agriculture and food value chain. He noted the growing international recognition of IFFCO’s nano fertilizers, with countries like Brazil, Kenya, and the United States expressing strong interest in adopting this revolutionary technology. Currently, IFFCO operates in over 40 countries, with significant performance gains reported in the USA, Brazil, Slovenia, Mauritius, Zambia, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

In line with its commitment to sustainable agriculture, IFFCO launched the “Model Nano Village/Cluster Project” on 1 July 2024, establishing 203 clusters of 2,000 acres each as demonstration sites for nano fertilizer adoption. The initiative has already seen the registration of more than 90,000 farmers, covering over 5 lakh acres. Of these, 40,000 farmers have purchased more than 5.30 lakh bottles of nano fertilizers and Sagarika, with 72,000 acres sprayed using agricultural drones. This project has already demonstrated a 28.73% reduction in chemical fertilizer usage and a 5.8% increase in crop yields. IFFCO is also exploring opportunities to leverage this data for carbon credit certification by quantifying the greenhouse gas reductions achieved through nano fertilizer adoption.

During FY 2024–25, IFFCO conducted Agro-Climatic Zone wise nano fertilizer trials under the guidance of the Department of Fertilizers, Government of India. A total of 1,470 two-plot demonstrations were carried out across 15 agro-climatic zones — 200 for Nano Urea Plus and 1,270 for Nano DAP. These trials recorded average yield increases of 5.28 per cent and 5.27 per cent respectively compared to conventional fertilizers, further validating the efficacy of nano technologies in Indian agriculture.

The cooperative also distributed more than 2.5 lakh sprayers and introduced the “IFFCO Kisan Drone” to support farmers in efficient application of nano fertilizers. A total of 1,764 drones, along with electric three-wheelers, were deployed, and training programs were conducted to empower rural entrepreneurs to offer professional spray services to farmers.

IFFCO’s broader range of products also recorded healthy growth. Sales of Water-Soluble Fertilizers, Specialty Fertilizers, and Sagarika Granules reached 1.92 lakh metric tonnes, with Water-Soluble Fertilizers up by 2 per cent over the previous year. Sagarika Liquid achieved sales of 11.55 lakh litres (up 33 per cent), Sagarika Granules reached 68,000 metric tonnes (up 28 per cent), and bio-fertilizers stood at 8.61 lakh litres, marking a 35 per cent year-on-year increase.

As part of its commitment to innovation and self-reliance, IFFCO has initiated the establishment of a state-of-the-art Seed Innovation Centre at its Kalol Unit to preserve and develop indigenous ‘Desi’ seeds through cutting-edge research and development.

Recognizing exemplary contributions to the cooperative movement, IFFCO conferred the ‘IFFCO Sahakarita Ratna Award’ for 2023–24 on Shri Mansinhbhai Kalyanjibhai Patel of Gujarat, founder of the Shree Mahuva Pradesh Sahakari Khand Udyog Mandali Ltd., and the ‘IFFCO Sahakarita Bandhu Award’ on Shri Amrik Singh of Haryana, a well-known grassroots cooperative leader who has also been honoured by the Haryana Government for his services to agriculture.

IFFCO’s consistent achievements reinforce its position as a global leader in cooperative excellence. With a pan-India presence supported by over 500 field offices in 21 states and a membership base of more than 35,600 cooperative societies, the organization serves over five crore farmers. It operates ten manufacturing units and has a strong global footprint in four countries. It is a matter of immense pride for India’s cooperative sector that Dr. U. S. Awasthi, IFFCO’s Managing Director, was honoured with the prestigious ‘Rochdale Pioneers Award’ at the ICA 2024 Conference in New Delhi. He was also titled the ‘Fertiliser Man of India’ during the 8th National Conference of Sahkar Bharati for his lifetime contributions to India’s fertiliser and agriculture sectors.