Indian Potash Ltd (IPL), the state-run agency, issued a tender on Saturday to import 1.5 million tonnes via the country’s west coast.

The remaining 1 million tonnes will arrive through the east coast, according to the document posted on the company’s website.

“Shipments are expected to leave the load port by June 14,” it said.

Bids for the tender must be submitted by April 15.

India routinely relies on global tenders to secure urea for domestic consumption.

The imports are critical as planting for rice, corn, and soybeans is scheduled to begin in June with the arrival of the monsoon.

India, where farming is a mainstay, imports fertilisers such as urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash, as well as liquefied natural gas, a key feedstock for urea production.

The Middle East accounts for roughly half of India’s DAP and urea imports, with Saudi Arabia the largest DAP supplier and Oman the biggest urea supplier.