Chambal Fertilizer - The largest player in the urea industry in India

Chambal Fertilizers - Company overview & Urea industry synopsis in India

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Company Overview 

Incorporated in 1985 and based in Kota, Rajasthan, Chambal has the largest installed urea capacity of 3.00 million tonnes in the private sector in India. Chambal is the largest private player in the urea industry in India in terms of production capacity. Its share in the total domestic urea production has increased to 13.4%, driven by the ramp-up of its Gadepan-III plant. The company has maintained its share in the non-urea fertilizers segment.

The company has sold 0.93 million tonnes of DAP/muriate of potash/nitrogen phosphorus potassium during the first 9 months of fiscal 2022, down from 1.60 million tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal because of the global shortage of the fertilizers amidst the Russia-Ukraine war. Its significant market share in north India is supported by its strong Uttam Vir brand and robust distribution network. The company also trades in complex fertilizers and pesticides. The urea plants are near the Hazira-Bijapur-Jagdishpur gas pipeline, which ensures sufficient gas availability.

The Company has 3 manufacturing plants with an annual production capacity of around 3.4 million MT of Urea. All the three Urea manufacturing plants of the Company are located at Gadepan, District Kota, Rajasthan, which is the largest single location Urea manufacturing facility in India.

Revenue trend past 5 years

Urea growth potential

The consumption of Urea is the highest among all the fertilizers used in India. Urea is the most important crop nutrient which plays a vital role in ensuring food security in the country. The Urea industry comprises manufacturers from the public, co-operative and private sectors. The Urea manufactured in the country is not sufficient to meet its total demand. Hence, part of the demand for Urea is met through imports.

The price of Urea is controlled by the Government of India. The subsidized price at which the Urea is to be sold to the farmers by the manufacturers is decided by the Government of India and it pays subsidies to the manufacturers based on the applicable policy parameters. Natural gas is the main input for the manufacture of Urea. The cost of natural gas is considered appropriate by the Government of India when determining subsidy on Urea payable to the manufacturing units. Hence, the fluctuation in prices of natural gas does not have much impact on the Urea manufacturing units.

Other Products

The Company strives to provide all agri-inputs under one roof to farmers. Apart from manufacturing Urea, the Company markets other fertilizers and agri-inputs such as Di- Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), and Ammonium Phosphate Sulphate (APS), different grades of NPK fertilizers, Sulphur, micro-nutrients, and agrochemicals.

The company has an established market position and superior operating efficiency of its fertilizer plants. Operating performance remains comfortable, with plants operating at over 100% utilization and within the prescribed energy norms. The profitability of the urea division will remain immune to the rise in feedstock (natural gas) prices as this is compensated through subsidy receipts from the government. The global shortage of complex fertilizers, which has led to a spike in their prices, could affect profitability in the medium term.

Profit margin growth trend

Government subsidies to boost the growth

DAP, MOP, APS and NPK fertilizers are covered under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (“NBS”) policy of the Government of India. The subsidy on these products is paid by the Government of India to the Company based on the different nutrients in these fertilizers and the Company determines the sale prices of these products as per NBS. In view of this, the prices of these products are guided by market forces. DAP, APS, and NPK fertilizers are manufactured in the country as well as imported by various players.

While there has been an unprecedented rise in raw material prices (especially pooled gas prices) and imported fertilizer rates, the additional subsidies (Rs 60,593 crore added to the initial budget of Rs 79,530 crore) announced by the government should restrict the increase in subsidy arrears for this fiscal. A similar addition in the subsidy budget is expected for fiscal 2023, to compensate for the rise in raw material and imported fertilizer prices. Timely announcement and disbursement of the additional subsidies remain key rating sensitivity factors.

High dependence on imports

MOP is not produced in India and the country is fully dependent on imports. The Company imports these fertilizers from international manufacturers and producers and sells them in its marketing territory under its brands.

The production and imports of these products vary due to factors such as demand, pipeline inventories, pricing of the products in the international market, cost of raw material, etc. Sulphur and micronutrients are purchased from manufacturers in India and imported from international manufacturers. In the case of agrochemicals, the technical grade agrochemicals are produced by multinational companies as well as domestic producers.

Chambal sold 2.62 million tonnes of urea and 0.93 million tonnes of DAP/muriate of potash/nitrogen phosphorus potassium during the first nine months of fiscal 2022 (2.73 million tonnes and 1.60 million tonnes, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal). While the uneven distribution of rainfall caused a marginal decline in urea sales, the global shortage of complex fertilizers impacted sales volume in the domestic market.

Points to concern

Further, the Urea manufactured by the Company is preferred by the customers in its marketing territory due to its good product quality and strong brand image of the Company. Hence, the Company does not foresee much impact on its business due to the capacity addition by new players in the Urea sector. The demand variation due to changes in monsoon pattern, volatility in the prices of DAP, MOP, APS, and NPK fertilizers, and variation in the foreign exchange rates are a few challenges that the Company faces in its business related to non-Urea fertilizers. The Company continuously evaluates these factors and strives to mitigate them through dynamic sourcing and pricing of the products and appropriate hedging of foreign exchange risk.

Roadmap ahead

The recent rise in feedstock (natural gas) prices will not impact the operating profitability of the urea production division as it is passed through entirely, to be compensated through subsidy receipts from the government. For Profitability against production above-reassessed capacity, wherein the incentive is capped at import parity price of urea plus incidental charges, to also not be majorly impacted on considering that the imported urea prices are also high. However, the global shortage of complex fertilizers, which has led to a spike in prices, may have a mid-term impact on overall profitability.

Gadepan-III plant has enabled the Company to increase its market share in Urea and thus enhanced its competitive strength due to more efficient operations on account of economies of scale. After the commissioning of the Gadepan-III plant, the Company has started focusing on strengthening its reach in existing marketing territories and expanding in new geographies in the eastern, western, and southern parts of India through a concerted brand-building approach.

A few more plants are expected to be operational to increase the indigenous supply of Urea during the next 1-2 years which shall reduce the demand-supply gap in the country. However, these plants are in eastern and southern parts of India whereas the core marketing territory of the Company is the Northern and Central parts of India. 

The Company has an established brand and sizeable market share in the DAP and MOP fertilizers and making inroads in the NPK fertilizers space. The Company plans to replicate its success in the existing marketing territory in new marketing territories and increase its reach in the existing marketing territories which offers an opportunity for the Company to enhance its sales volumes and market share.

Shareholding Pattern

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